Saltine

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /sɔlˈtin/

Definitions

1. A crispy and thin baked snack that is often enjoyed with soups or spreads
2. A light, dry cracker that is usually rectangular in shape and frequently served with soups or used for spreading toppings on
3. A thin, crispy cracker sprinkled with salt, commonly eaten alone or as an accompaniment to meals

Etymology: Few people realize that "saltine" began as a company's brand name. In the late 1800s, a cracker sold in the United States under the name "Saltines" became so widely recognized that the name spread to the whole category, much as "kleenex" and "aspirin" once did. The product was a thin, crisp, salted soda cracker, and its name simply announced its most noticeable feature. The word appears to be formed from "salt" with the suffix "-ine," a common English ending of this kind, though the exact model for the suffix is not settled. Because the brand was American, the word is most at home in US English, where it still names the cracker in ordinary grocery and restaurant talk.

Synonyms: cracker