salient

American  

[sey-lee-uhnt, seyl-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.

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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

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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

Such wheezes aren’t the most salient feature of the screenplay, though.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Rarely does the movie hit on any salient points that the series hasn’t already made, opting instead to repeat narrative patterns and jerk a few tears here and there.

From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2026

In some of those pockets, homelessness and street crime are the most salient issues facing the city, and Pratt’s apocalyptic talk about them landed as a tonic.

From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2026

In District 3, the Palisades fire has been more salient because the district contains the conflagration’s entire burn zone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

The committee report consisted of seven resolutions that addressed this salient question: What are the powers vested in Congress, under the present constitution, relating to the abolition of slavery”?

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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

One of Chiang's armies had been cut off, and two others that tried to rescue it had exposed salients.

From Time Magazine Archive

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

From Time Magazine Archive

Bombing used at this time to be practised by small sections in each battalion, who occupied dangerous salients called "bird-cages" in the fire trenches.

From With Manchesters in the East by Hurst, Gerald B. (Gerald Berkeley), Sir

Related Words

• arresting
• conspicuous
• pertinent
• weighty