Salty

When you are upset about something, you are salty. It may be something a person specifically did or said that set you off, or it might be something more abstract, like bad traffic that made you late to work or your favorite team losing a game.

Where did salty come from?

There are several possible origins where salty came from. One explanation is that it comes from the "pouring salt in your wounds" phrase, which is when somebody makes something worse than it already is. Another explanation is that it comes from the U.S. Navy when a sailor has been at sea for a long time, and his exuberance for the ocean has been replaced with the salt from the sea, making him agitated.

While salty has been used in various contexts for decades, it did not become mainstream popular until the early-2010s. During this time, it gained popularity online, especially on social sites, like Facebook and Twitter.

How do I use salty?

You can use salty whenever you are in a bad mood. However, it would be best to only use it for minor grievances like when losing a game or somebody disses you.

It shouldn't be used when something actually bad happens, like a death in the family or a job loss. Using it in these situations trivializes actually sad occurrences.

Many of the contexts in which you see or hear salty are online, whether it be on a social site or gaming. You may also hear it in casual conversations, like when discussing sports or pop culture.