Salt of the earth
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
A genuinely good, honest person, solid and humble.
Origin
From the Bible, Matthew 5: 13 (1st century); 'ye are the salt of the earth'-for value, English by 1382 in Wycliffe. Chaucer's 1386 'Canterbury Tales' hints at it, and by 1860s slang, it hit common folk, as in a Dickens 1861 use.
Usage Examples
- He's salt of the earth; helps everyone out.
- She's the salt of the earth; pure kindness.
- They're salt of the earth-simple, honest folk.
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