Word
salinity
Phoneticssalin·i·ty
US/səˈɫɪnəˌti/
UK/seɪlˈɪnɪti/
Definition
n. the amount of salt in a liquid, like water. You use this word to describe how salty the ocean or a swimming pool is.
n. the concentration of dissolved salts in a solution, typically measured in parts per thousand. Often used in the context of oceanography or aquatic biology.
Examples
“The salinity of the ocean is much higher than that of a lake.”
“Fish in the Great Salt Lake have adapted to survive in water with extremely high salinity.”
“Marine biologists monitor the salinity of coastal waters to track the impact of freshwater runoff from melting glaciers on local ecosystems.”
Examples
simple
“The salinity of the ocean is much higher than that of a lake.”
contextual
“Fish in the Great Salt Lake have adapted to survive in water with extremely high salinity.”
complex
“Marine biologists monitor the salinity of coastal waters to track the impact of freshwater runoff from melting glaciers on local ecosystems.”
Real-World Examples
“Droughts don't just alter water quantity and distribution; they also alter water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen levels and the concentration of nutrients and contaminants.” “The melting of Greenland's glaciers, the warming of the Arctic Ocean and increased rainfall in the region are reducing the salinity and density of surface waters, making it harder for them to sink.” Etymology
From saline + -ity.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.