saline

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: sa=line

CIDE DICTIONARY

saline, a. [F. salin, fr. L. sal salt: cf. L. salinae salt works, salinum saltcellar. See Salt.].

•  Consisting of salt, or containing salt; as, saline particles; saline substances; a saline cathartic.  [1913 Webster]
•  Of the quality of salt; salty; as, a saline taste.  [1913 Webster]

saline, n. [Cf. F. saline. See Saline, a.].

 A salt spring; a place where salt water is collected in the earth.  [1913 Webster]

saline, n. 

•  A crude potash obtained from beet-root residues and other similar sources.  [1913 Webster]
•  A metallic salt; esp., a salt of potassium, sodium, lithium, or magnesium, used in medicine.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

saline, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 (of natural waters, springs, etc.) impregnated with or containing salt or salts.
2 (of food or drink etc.) tasting of salt.
3 of chemical salts.
4 of the nature of a salt.
5 (of medicine) containing a salt or salts of alkaline metals or magnesium.
--n.
1 a salt lake, spring, marsh, etc.
2 a salt-pan or salt-works.
3 a saline substance, esp. a medicine.
4 a solution of salt in water.

Derivative

salinity n. salinization n. salinometer n.

Etymology

ME f. L sal salt

ROGET THESAURUS

saline

Saltiness

N saltiness, niter, saltpeter, brine, salty, salt, saline, brackish, briny, salty as brine, salty as a herring, salty as Lot's wife, salty, racy (indecent), take it with a grain of salt.