salient

[ sey-lee-uhnt, seyl-yuhnt ]

/ ˈseɪ li ənt, ˈseɪl yənt /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: salient / salients on Thesaurus.com

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).

OTHER WORDS FOR salient

1 important; striking, remarkable.

See synonyms for salient on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR salient

1 inconspicuous, unimportant.

See antonyms for salient on Thesaurus.com

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?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use salient in a sentence

How salient that is, how much people grab on, depends on results and margins of victory.
What to expect on Election Day|Bobbie Johnson|October 26, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Before the covid-19 pandemic, even disease scientists were more focused on the salient dangers of Ebola and Zika, rather than coronaviruses.
Humanity is stuck in short-term thinking. Here’s how we escape.|Katie McLean|October 21, 2020|MIT Technology Review
The last part, and the most politically salient part, of course, is agriculture.
This analyst says the U.S.-China trade deal targets were always ‘too aspirational’|Veta Chan|October 8, 2020|Fortune
It’s good because emotionally salient events are often the ones you most need to remember later in life.
You can’t completely trust your memories|David Linden|September 30, 2020|Popular-Science

Now that we have migrated to this new improved platform and experience, we will be enhancing tools listening to your feedback and shipping new salient features including a refreshed version Index Explorer this summer.
Microsoft launched revamped Bing Webmaster Tools|Barry Schwartz|July 30, 2020|Search Engine Land
And second, and more saliently, well, Obama has to bargain with something.
Here's the Post Where I Get Some Liberals Mad at Me|Michael Tomasky|November 13, 2012|DAILY BEAST
A lot has changed in those three weeks—most saliently, that Republican voters now clearly disagree with Coulter.
Michael Tomasky: After Saturday Night’s Debate, Is It the End of Mitt?|Michael Tomasky|December 12, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Though Joe Barton, who saliently said that President Obama was mistreating BP after the oil spill, also deserves consideration.
Give the People What They Want|Leslie H. Gelb|October 31, 2010|DAILY BEAST
If set to master a monologue, he must observe conversation, and be able to express thoughts saliently and earnestly to one person.
Browning and the Dramatic Monologue|S. S. Curry
The increase of snows on all the mountains seemed to bring out more saliently than ever the sharp, jagged granite rock masses.
In to the Yukon|William Seymour Edwards
This solicitude about little things is most saliently in evidence in the military domain.
England and Germany|Emile Joseph Dillon
And on the poster, in a very black line by itself, stood out saliently the phrase: "Massive Bedroom Suite."
Hilda Lessways|Arnold Bennett
The steamer was distinct but immaterial, saliently accentuated, as a phantom.
The Sea and the Jungle|H. M. Tomlinson

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, adverb

Word 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

salient

OTHER WORDS FOR salient

OPPOSITES FOR salient

Origin of salient

OTHER WORDS FROM salient

Words related to salient

How to use salient in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for salient

Derived forms of salient

Word Origin for salient