Saltshakers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A container designed to dispense salt in small amounts for seasoning food
2. An item typically found on dining tables that allows easy sprinkling of salt onto dishes
3. A kitchen tool featuring small holes on top for controlled release of salt to enhance flavor

Etymology: "Saltshakers" is simply the plural of "saltshaker," so its history is that of the singular form. The compound joins "salt," the common Old English word for the mineral, with "shaker," an agent noun from "shake," a verb meaning to move something back and forth with quick, repeated motions. A saltshaker, then, is literally a vessel from which salt is shaken out. The plural adds only the ordinary "-s" ending, marking more than one such container, which is why the word needs no special explanation beyond the compound itself.

Synonyms: seasoners, condiment containers