salient

American  

[say-lee-uhnt, sayl-yuhnt] / ˈseɪ li ənt, ˈseɪl jənt /

adjective

1. prominent or conspicuous.

   salient traits.

   Synonyms:

   remarkable, striking, important

   Antonyms:

   unimportant, inconspicuous

2. projecting or pointing outward.

   a salient angle.

3. leaping or jumping.

   a salient animal.

4. Heraldry. (of a beast) represented as leaping.

   a lion salient.

---

noun

• salients
  plural

1. a salient angle or part, as the central outward-projecting angle of a bastion or an outward projection in a battle line.

2. Physical Geography. a landform that extends out beyond its surroundings, as a spur projecting from the side of a mountain.

salient British  

/ ˈseɪlɪənt /

adjective

1. prominent, conspicuous, or striking

   a salient feature

2. (esp in fortifications) projecting outwards at an angle of less than 180° Compare re-entrant

3. geometry (of an angle) pointing outwards from a polygon and hence less than 180° Compare re-entrant

4. (esp of animals) leaping

---

noun

1. military a projection of the forward line into enemy-held territory

2. a salient angle

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• salience
  noun
• unsalient
  adjective
• saliently
  adverb
• unsaliently
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• salients
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of salient

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin salient-, stem of saliēns “jumping,” present participle of salīre “to spring, jump”

---

Explanation

If something stands out in a very obvious way, it can be called salient. It's time to find new friends if the differences between you and your current friends are becoming more and more salient. Salient, from the Latin verb salire, "to leap," was originally used in English to refer to leaping animals such as a frog or deer and may still be used this way. Often, however, it is used in math or geography to mean protruding. A salient angle juts outward rather than inward. Figuratively, it means noticeable or prominent. When giving an argument, make your most salient points at the beginning or the end.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

salient salients

There’s other data making a salient argument for hikes in October and December, said Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist for Nationwide.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

It eventually appeared in the paper but with many of the salient details left out.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

The players association presumably recognizes the most salient fact about the owners’ approach to labor relations, which is their history of of treating the players like peons and lying.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

From a military point of view, the most salient aspect is the failure of Russian power in and around the Black Sea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

“I think you’re missing the salient point here,” Shanti said.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Mostly, the action was confined to border thrusts by both sides to straighten out salients that are difficult to defend.

From Time Magazine Archive

The entire eastern front blazed into action as other Red attacks were launched south of Leningrad, against the Belgorod, Donets and Mius River salients, at the Nazi bridgehead in the Caucasus.

From Time Magazine Archive

But as the week went on, the Iranian defenses hardened and the Iraqis found themselves pressed to maintain their salients.

From Time Magazine Archive

South Viet Nam, Malaysia and Thailand represent salients on the edge of China's sphere of influence.

From Time Magazine Archive

Toward the city it exposes a vertical stone wall of irregular trace, with salients at intervals.

From The Story of the Philippines and Our New Possessions, Including the Ladrones, Hawaii, Cuba and Porto Rico The Eldorado of the Orient by Murat Halstead

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• arresting
• conspicuous
• pertinent
• weighty

---