Definition
To go up, climb, or get on (a vehicle, stairs, or a high place).
Example
Ogni mattina salgo le scale a piedi.
Show translation
Every morning I climb the stairs on foot.
Etymology
From Latin *salīre*, meaning "to leap" or "to spring upward." The Latin root is also found in English words like *assault* (ad + salīre) and *somersault* (via French *soubresaut*), as well as Italian *saltare* (to jump). Over time, the Italian *salire* narrowed to the sense of moving upward rather than leaping.
Cultural note
In Italian, *salire* is the standard verb for boarding public transport: *salire sull'autobus* (to get on the bus), *salire in treno* (to get on the train). Its opposite is *scendere* (to go down, to get off). Note that English speakers sometimes expect "entrare" (to enter) in these transport contexts — using *salire* sounds far more natural to a native Italian ear.