salutatorian
Americannoun
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:
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.
Vocabulary lists containing salutatorian
A Graduation Lexicon
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Our America
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Solo
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Then there’s Justin Walton, the salutatorian and one of Plumlee’s closest friends.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2023
At Roosevelt’s ceremony Tuesday, class salutatorian Winston Page said that while each graduating class has had its own struggles, he doubted any other class had struggles “quite as unique as ours.”
From Washington Post ● Jun. 21, 2022
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
Their one child, Dylan, attended Pottstown High School, where he would become salutatorian.
From New York Times ● Jul. 10, 2020
Katherine Goble’s eighteen-year-old daughter, Joylette, a talented violinist and a graceful beauty, graduated salutatorian of Carver High School’s class of 1958 and headed across town to attend Hampton Institute.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
