DictionarysaltExperienced sailor
noun

salt

An experienced sailor.

The old salt teaches new sailors how to tie secure knots.

Etymology

Salt stands for the saltwater environment in which sailors work. An old salt is therefore someone seasoned by long experience at sea.

More examples

  • Two old salts trade stories about their years at sea.
  • We trust the old salt to guide us through the fog.
  • Even an experienced salt can get seasick in rough weather.

Forms

salt · salts

Similar words

sailor
Names someone who sails, without necessarily implying long experience.
mariner
A more formal term that does not specifically emphasize experience.