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salutatory

[suh-loo-tuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]
adjective
  1. pertaining to or of the nature of a salutation.
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noun, plural sa·lu·ta·to·ries.
  1. a welcoming address, especially one given at the beginning of commencement exercises in some U.S. high schools and colleges by the salutatorian.
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Origin of salutatory

1635–45; < Medieval Latin salūtātōrius, equivalent to Latin salūtā(re) to salute + -tōrius -tory1
Related formssa·lu·ta·to·ri·ly, adverbun·sa·lu·ta·to·ry, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for salutatory

Historical Examples

  • After the salutatory phrase at the beginning of a letter, when informal.

    Punctuation

    Frederick W. Hamilton

  • Salutatory Phrase—The words forming a salutation, or greeting.

    Punctuation

    Frederick W. Hamilton

  • His first words were no worse than salutatory and tentative.

  • It was Freneau's salutatory at the beginning of his new career in Philadelphia.

  • The warmest praise came from the poets,—the "high, impassioned few" of her "Salutatory."

    Julia Ward Howe

    Laura E. Richards

British Dictionary definitions for salutatory

salutatory

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or resembling a salutation
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Derived Formssalutatorily, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for salutatory

adj.

1690s, "pertaining to a salutation," from Latin salutatorius "pertaining to visiting or greeting," from salut-, past participle stem of salutare "to greet" (see salute (v.)). From 1702 in reference to an address which welcomes those attending commencement exercises.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper