salvage
SAL-vij
/ˈsæl.vɪdʒ/
The rescue of a ship or its cargo from loss at sea; (verb) to save property from danger or destruction.
In maritime law, salvage confers legal rights to financial compensation for those who rescue marine property.
The story behind the word. Derived from Late Latin 'salvaticum', from 'salvare' meaning to save. It was introduced into Anglo-French as 'salvage' regarding maritime legal rights.
Word relationships
- recovery: Recovery is general retrieval, whereas salvage implies saving property from imminent ruin or loss.
- rescue: Rescue usually applies to saving human lives, while salvage primarily applies to property and ships.
- scuttle: To deliberately sink a ship.
- abandonment: Giving up property without rescue effort.
Commonly confused with
- salvation: Salvation refers to spiritual redemption; salvage refers to physical recovery of property.
Word family
- salvager (noun): A person or company that rescues ships or cargo.
- salvageable (adjective): Capable of being saved or recovered.
Collocations
- salvage operation
- salvage rights
- salvage crew
- salvage value
Example sentences
- "The commercial crew claimed rights to the salvage of the abandoned cargo vessel." Maritime legal proceeding
Memory hook
SALVage SAVE-s Valuable cargo. Rescuing property from sunken or wrecked vessels.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'salvation', which has purely spiritual or moral connotations.
Fun facts
- Under maritime law, a salvage reward can equal up to half the total value of the rescued vessel and cargo.
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