salute
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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salutes,
present (3rd person singular)
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saluted,
past participle, past
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saluting
present participle
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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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salutes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
saluted,
past participle, past
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saluting
present participle
-
Military. to give a salute.
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to perform a salutation.
noun
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salutes
plural
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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.
See Examples For:
"I salute these heroes," he said of the passengers, adding "they prevented a major disaster".
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
Volunteer fan groups distributed roughly 35,000 custom-printed banners across the stadium, coordinating a massive crowd-wide salute to be raised in unison during select performances.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
The film’s writer-director, Josef Kubota Wladyka, who is half Japanese and half Polish, gives a fond salute to the multicultural appeal of the dance floor that brings together all sorts of people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Ohtani responded with a salute emoji, Roberts said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
The Hitler salute was law, and the Patrol Force reprimanded anyone who did not salute properly.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
The couple, along with their four children and his 80-year-old mother, were greeted by cannon salutes and lavish dinners including parrot soup.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
Max Medellin, 12, of Troop 10 from Reseda salutes.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
President Lai Ching-te officially welcomed Pena on Friday with military honours, including cannon salutes and red carpet, ahead of a sit-down meeting.
From Barron's ● May 8, 2026
The players snapped salutes at each other after great plays.
From Salon ● Mar. 18, 2026
He slammed the back door shut and, looking up at me, gave me the quickest of salutes with his right hand before hopping into the driver’s seat, starting the loud engine up, and driving off.
From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley
At around 18:00, he saluted in the direction of two nearby diplomatic protection officers before trying to scale a security fence.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
The Hindenburg lifted off shortly after 7 p.m., saluted by a brass band playing “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” and cheered by a large crowd, including a Hitler Youth troop.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
The brace was the first of Balogun’s international career and came in his World Cup debut before a crowd of family and friends, a cheering section he saluted from behind the goal line after scoring.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2026
Cheering crowds waved Chinese flags at a farewell ceremony ahead of the launch, while a band played and the three astronauts saluted on stage.
From Barron's ● May 24, 2026
At that Ged left off his bleak thoughts and his gazing ahead over the sea, and he saluted Yarrow more earnestly, perhaps, than Vetch.
From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Truth Social post purports to show the US president saluting beside his Chinese counterpart, with Xi's Air China aircraft forming the backdrop and a military jet soaring overhead.
From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026
Many speakers, including former Sparks coach Michael Cooper and Lakers legend Magic Johnson, noted Leslie’s accomplishments while also saluting her as a kind person.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
Stokes left the Test arena for the final time with his bat and helmet held aloft, saluting a rapturous ovation.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
His final masterstroke—bullying the world into saluting his greatness by executing an incredible comeback—will once again remind him that the maw at the center of his being remains unfilled.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
Today we have done an hour’s saluting drill because Tjaden failed to salute a major smartly enough.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
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.
