salutatorian

[suh-loo-tuh-tawr-ee-uh n, -tohr-]

noun

(in some U.S. schools and colleges) the student ranking second highest in the graduating class, who delivers the salutatory at commencement.

Origin of salutatorian

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; salutatory + -an

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for salutatorian

Contemporary Examples of salutatorian

INSIDER TIP: Head downtown for salutatorian Fusion Taco, another food truck turned brick-and-mortar.
Foodie Heaven in Houston
Michele Meyer
July 10, 2014
A scholar-athlete, he was salutatorian in his graduating class.
Peyton Manning Vs. Richard Sherman
Allen Barra
January 31, 2014
But Bettie, with a 97.19 average, was beat out by .14 points, and had to settle for Salutatorian status.
‘Bettie Page Reveals All,’ A Close-Up Look at the Pinup Goddess and Sexual Icon
Marlow Stern
November 23, 2013

Historical Examples of salutatorian

May 29, 1884, he graduated from the Atlanta Baptist College as salutatorian.
Twentieth Century Negro Literature
Various
All the salutatorian had to do was to sit still and hear what the other speakers had to say and feel good.
Princeton Stories
Jesse Lynch Williams

Word Origin and History for salutatorian

1841, American English, from salutatory "of the nature of a salutation," here in the specific sense "designating the welcoming address given at a college commencement" (1702) + -ian. The address was originally usually in Latin and given by the second-ranking graduating student.