great salt lake: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Academic, Geographical, News
Quick answer
What does “great salt lake” mean?
A specific, large saline lake in the US state of Utah.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A specific, large saline lake in the US state of Utah.
Often used as a metonym for ecological or environmental issues in arid regions, and as a well-known geographical landmark.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The term is used identically but familiarity may be higher in American English due to geographical proximity.
Connotations
In American English, it carries connotations of the American West, Mormon pioneer history, and contemporary water rights debates. In British English, it is primarily a known geographical feature without the same cultural weight.
Frequency
Much more frequent in American English, particularly in regional (Western US) and environmental discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “great salt lake” in a Sentence
The Great Salt Lake + verb (e.g., is shrinking, provides habitat)Around/Near/By the Great Salt LakeThe waters/level/shores of the Great Salt LakeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “great salt lake” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The Great Salt Lake basin is extensive.
- Great Salt Lake dust storms are a concern.
American English
- The Great Salt Lake water levels are critical.
- Great Salt Lake shrimp are a unique species.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts like tourism, mining (extraction of minerals), or real estate development near the lake.
Academic
Common in geography, environmental science, and hydrology papers discussing terminal lakes, salinity, and climate change impacts.
Everyday
Used in general conversation when discussing US geography, travel to Utah, or news reports on its environmental status.
Technical
Used in geology and climatology to describe a terminal, endorheic, hypersaline lake and its ecosystem.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “great salt lake”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “great salt lake”
- Incorrect capitalization: 'great salt lake'.
- Using 'the' incorrectly: 'I visited Great Salt Lake' (correct) vs. 'I visited the Great Salt Lake' (also correct, but less common in some contexts).
- Confusing it with the Salt Lake City metropolitan area.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not the saltiest. While very saline, lakes like the Dead Sea and Don Juan Pond have higher salinity.
Yes, you can float easily due to the high salt content, but the water can be uncomfortable for eyes and skin, and the shoreline conditions vary.
It's a crucial habitat for millions of birds, supports local industry (mineral extraction), and affects regional climate and air quality (dust from the exposed lakebed).
It means the lake has no outlet to the ocean; water leaves only through evaporation, which is why salts and minerals become concentrated.
A specific, large saline lake in the US state of Utah.
Great salt lake is usually formal, academic, geographical, news in register.
Great salt lake: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt ˈsɔːlt ˌleɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt ˈsɒlt ˌleɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Utah is GREAT, but its big SALTY LAKE is shrinking.' Links the state, the descriptive words, and the key issue.
Conceptual Metaphor
A BAROMETER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH (e.g., 'The Great Salt Lake is a canary in the coalmine for Western water policy.').
Practice
Quiz
What is a major current concern regarding the Great Salt Lake?