salutatorian

American  

[suh-loo-tuh-tawr-ee-uhn, -tohr-] / səˌlu təˈtɔr i ən, -ˈtoʊr- /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of salutatorian

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

Compare meaning

How does salutatorian compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• valedictorian vs. salutatorian

Explanation

A salutatorian is a graduate who finished with the second highest rank in his or her class. Only the valedictorian did better. Being the salutatorian of your graduating class is a great honor. Traditionally, the salutatorian gives the opening remarks at the graduation ceremony. So, just as a salutation is a greeting, a salutatorian is responsible for offering a formal greeting at the event. Having been a salutatorian looks great on a resume, as long as you spell it correctly.

Example Sentences

Then there’s Justin Walton, the salutatorian and one of Plumlee’s closest friends.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 14, 2023

“These are students who are graduating salutatorian or valedictorian and, unfortunately, just had a very difficult time continuing with their higher education pursuits because of the cost,” Henderson said.

From Washington Post • Jan. 27, 2022

One incident that caused a stir involved Nacharlesia Floyd, the high school’s salutatorian in 2017, who planned to give a speech that described the struggles of African-American students in the school.

From New York Times • Oct. 25, 2020

She also struggled initially with coursework, attempting to translate her Chicago secondary education, where she graduated as salutatorian, to the rigors of university work.

From The Guardian • Jul. 31, 2020

The auditorium erupted again and Tucker could barely hide his grin as he walked back to his seat, twirling his silver salutatorian tassels.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia