A synonym for surliness. This comes from the idea of a salty sailor, someone who is generally gruff and anti-social. Being a sailor, one's clothing becomes covered in salt from dried-up seawater. Hence, salty.

A salty is a freighter that can ply both the Great Lakes system and the Atlantic ocean. Previous to 1959, the Great Lakes were a closed system as far as freighters were concerned. All that changed in the late `50s when the St. Lawrence seaway was expanded and officially opened in 1959. The need for locks along the Great Lakes seaway ultimately limits a salty's size. No ocean going vessel can be wider than 78 feet (with a 26' draft). This figure was arrived at because of a set of locks along the seaway system's Welland canal portion were constructed back at the beginning of the 20th century and had this width.

Salt"y (?), a.

Somewhat salt; saltish.

 

© Webster 1913.