Salud / Salut By Deane Barker • December 28, 2021 • This is a Latin word that variously means “to your health” (in Spanish), or “salutations; I salute you” in Italian. It’s used as a toast when drinking, and occasionally as an alternative to “bless you” when someone sneezes. Why I Looked It Up A character in a novel said it as a toast. I had heard it for years, but had little idea of what it actually meant.