salient
[ sey-lee-uhnt, seyl-yuhnt ]
/ ˈseɪ li ənt, ˈseɪl yənt /
Save This Word!
adjective
prominent or conspicuous: salient traits.
projecting or pointing outward: a salient angle.
leaping or jumping: a salient animal.
Heraldry. (of a beast) represented as leaping: a lion salient.
noun
a salient angle or part, as the central outward-projecting angle of a bastion or an outward projection in a battle line.
Physical Geography. a landform that extends out beyond its surroundings, as a spur projecting from the side of a mountain.Compare reentrant (def. 4).
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?
Origin of salient
1555–65; <Latin salient- (stem of saliēns, present participle of salīre to spring, jump), equivalent to sali- verb stem + -ent--ent
OTHER WORDS FROM salient
sa·li·ent·ly, adverbun·sa·li·ent, adjectiveun·sa·li·ent·ly, adverbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use salient in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for salient
salient
/ (ˈseɪlɪənt) /
adjective
prominent, conspicuous, or strikinga salient feature
(esp in fortifications) projecting outwards at an angle of less than 180°Compare re-entrant (def. 1)
geometry (of an angle) pointing outwards from a polygon and hence less than 180°Compare re-entrant (def. 2)
(esp of animals) leaping
noun
military a projection of the forward line into enemy-held territory
a salient angle
Derived forms of salient
salience or saliency, nounsaliently, adverbWord Origin for salient
C16: from Latin salīre to leap
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012