# Sal

/ˈsæɫ/ (US) · /sˈæl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sal
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a tropical tree

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a large tree from South Asia that provides very hard wood for building.

For teachers: a significant timber tree (Shorea robusta) native to the Indian subcontinent, valued for its durable hardwood.

- The villagers gathered under the large sal tree to stay out of the sun.
- Extensive sal forests once covered the plains, providing the primary source of resin and structural timber for local construction.

### 2. salt

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

an old-fashioned word for salt, often used in science or medicine names.

For teachers: an archaic or obsolete term for salt, surviving primarily in historical chemical nomenclature.

- The old book mentioned 'sal ammoniac' as a chemical used in the lab.
- In medieval alchemy, various substances were classified as a 'sal' based on their crystalline structure and solubility in water.

## Examples

- The old book mentions sal as a key ingredient.
- In the history of chemistry, sal ammoniac was a vital substance used for cleaning metals and dyeing cloth.
- The alchemist's manuscript detailed the purification of various forms of sal, reflecting an era before modern chemical naming conventions were established.

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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.