salient
Americanadjective
-
prominent or conspicuous.
salient traits.
- Synonyms:
- remarkable, striking, important
- Antonyms:
- unimportant, inconspicuous
-
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.
adjective
-
prominent, conspicuous, or striking
a salient feature
-
(esp in fortifications) projecting outwards at an angle of less than 180° Compare re-entrant
-
geometry (of an angle) pointing outwards from a polygon and hence less than 180° Compare re-entrant
-
(esp of animals) leaping
noun
-
military a projection of the forward line into enemy-held territory
-
a salient angle
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing salient
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The most salient point is that ‘anything but China’ and the whole mantra of ‘China is uninvestible’ died,” said says Louis Gave, co-founder of Gavekal.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Still, your salient point about accountability on the part of administrative staff and, yes, the doctors too is well taken.
From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026
Most studies focus on a will as the central part of the process, but that isn’t even the most salient document anymore, according to many in the estate and financial-planning industry.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026
Supervising banks for reputational risk also diverts “resources from more salient risks without adding material value from a safety and soundness perspective or ensuring greater compliance with the law,” they add.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
The more one looks at the chief characters in this scene and listens to their voices, the more the salient question changes.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
