salt flat
3
4.8
- noun
- /sɔlt flæt/
- US
:
salinas
- Tourists flock to the salt flats each year to experience the unique landscape left behind by evaporated salt water.
Then I read last week's videos comments and apparently there's a high level of arsenic in the salt of the salt flats bomber.
- Then I read last week's videos comments and apparently there's a high level of arsenic in the salt of the salt flats bomber.
Examples
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Why was I wearing my favorite pair of boots to the salt flats?
Blog text (28) -
After crossing through dense desert woodland with large, thorny mesquite trees, we entered the salt flat and began to search for telltale mounds that might belong to our hypothetical rodent.
Academic text (2003) -
At least you get to go through the salt flats, right.
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Go by the salt flats, then through the back country.
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So we drove along our old wheel tracks that led to the salt flat.
Fiction book (2000) -
Like the salt flats in Utah.
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The salt flats have gradually diminished, replaced by more and more water.
Fiction book (1993) -
Alex and Nick are cruising along salt flats.
Fiction book (1993) -
For example, at Death Valley National Park, I composed an eerie scene: desolate desert salt flats backed by a royal blue sky.
Academic text (2000) -
In the south, the Tunisian Sahara begins with salt flats or chotts, and then the desert takes over.
Academic text (2003)
Synonyms
1
3.9
A large flat area of land covered with salt after salt water dries
A large flat area of ground covered in salt, often in deserts
A flat, dry area where water evaporates and leaves a white salt crust
A natural low area like a salt lake where water dries and leaves salt
How Flat
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a level area covered with salt' is directly compositional from 'salt' (salt) + 'flat' (a level expanse): the compound simply labels a flat area characterized by salt. This follows a common English noun‑compounding pattern and has clear cross‑linguistic parallels (e.g. 'salina', 'salar', 'salt pan'), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Salt flat comes from shallow lakes that dry up and leave a hard, white salt surface. The words salt and flat show this place is covered in salt and very flat, so 'salt flat' means a 'level area of land' left when the water dries.