# cum grano salis

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/cum-grano-salis
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

With a grain of salt; with a bit of common sense and skepticism.

## Examples

- You should take his advice cum grano salis.
- The internet is full of rumors, so you should always read the news cum grano salis.
- Historians often examine ancient texts cum grano salis, acknowledging that the authors may have had their own political agendas.

## Origin

The term is a New Latin coinage, provided in the form cum grānō salis. It was not a feature of Classical Latin.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.