salute
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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Military. to pay respect to or honor by some formal act, as by raising the right hand to the side of the headgear, presenting arms, firing cannon, dipping colors, etc.
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to address with expressions of goodwill, respect, etc.; greet.
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to make a bow or other gesture to, as in greeting, farewell, or respect.
verb (used without object)
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Military. to give a salute.
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to perform a salutation.
noun
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Military.
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the special act of respect paid in saluting.
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the position of the hand or rifle in saluting.
at the salute.
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an act of saluting; salutation.
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a gold coin, bearing the image of the Virgin Mary receiving Gabriel's salutation, issued by Charles VI of France and by Henry V and Henry VI of England.
interjection
verb
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(tr) to address or welcome with friendly words or gestures of respect, such as bowing or lifting the hat; greet
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(tr) to acknowledge with praise or honour
we salute your gallantry
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military to pay or receive formal respect, as by presenting arms or raising the right arm
noun
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the act of saluting
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a formal military gesture of respect
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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salutesimple
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salutessimple
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have salutedperfect
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has salutedperfect
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am salutingprogressive
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are salutingprogressive
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is salutingprogressive
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have been salutingperfect progressive
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has been salutingperfect progressive
Past
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salutedsimple
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had salutedperfect
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was salutingprogressive
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were salutingprogressive
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had been salutingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of salute1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb saluten, “to greet courteously or respectfully,” from Latin salūtāre “to greet, hail, or salute,” derivative of salūt- (stem of salūs ) “health”; Middle English noun salu (also salue ), from Old French salu, salus, saluz, from Latin, salūs
Origin of salute2
Literally, “health”
Explanation
A salute is a sign of respect. A soldier may salute senior officers by raising a hand to his or her head, or you may informally salute a neighbor with a tip of your hat. Salute often has a military context, whether used as a verb or a noun. When gladiators showed up for a day’s work at the Coliseum in Ancient Rome, they had to be prepared to die in battle for the entertainment of the emperor. Beforehand, they would address the emperor with the Latin words “morituri te salutant”, which means “Those of us who are about to die salute you.” Many centuries later, the heavy metal band AC/DC would change those words to a song with a much happier sentiment: “For those about to rock, we salute you.” Rock on.
Vocabulary lists containing salute
When You Reach Me
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Catching Fire
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"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 3
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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.
Anatole still sometimes calls me his planche de salut.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
“The boys love you more than their own eyes. Planche de salut!’
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
The principal documents relative to the trial of Collot d’Herbois, Bar�re and Billaud-Varenne are indicated in Aulard, Recueil des actes du comit� de salut public, t. i. pp.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various
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.
