Meaning of Sayings (6)

"Not Worth His Salt"

Meaning: Not very good at his job, doesn't deserve his wage.

During the days of the Roman Empire salt was an expensive commodity & soldiers were given money to buy salt & actually paid partly in salt, which they carried about their person, in leather pouches.

This payment was known as 'salarium', from the Latin word 'sal', meaning salt.

The modern word for wages, or 'salary', originates from this source.