salute

¹ American  

[sah-loo-te] / sɑˈlu tɛ /

interjection

Italian.

1. (used after a person has sneezed or as a toast.)

---

salute ² American  

[suh-loot] / səˈlut /

verb (used with object)

saluted, saluting

1. 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.

2. to address with expressions of goodwill, respect, etc.; greet.

3. to make a bow or other gesture to, as in greeting, farewell, or respect.

4. to express respect or praise for; hail; commend.

   Synonyms:

   praise, laud, extol, cheer, applaud

---

verb (used without object)

saluted, saluting

1. Military. to give a salute.

2. to perform a salutation.

noun

1. Military.

   1. the special act of respect paid in saluting.

   2. the position of the hand or rifle in saluting.

      at the salute.

2. an act of saluting; salutation.

3. 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.

salute British  

/ səˈluːt /

verb

1. (tr) to address or welcome with friendly words or gestures of respect, such as bowing or lifting the hat; greet

2. (tr) to acknowledge with praise or honour

   we salute your gallantry

3. military to pay or receive formal respect, as by presenting arms or raising the right arm

---

noun

1. the act of saluting

2. a formal military gesture of respect

Other Word Forms

• saluter noun
• unsaluted adjective
• unsaluting adjective

Etymology

Origin of salute¹

Literally, “health”

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

Example Sentences

All week I’d agonized about what movie would be my emotionally laden farewell salute.

From Los Angeles Times

Naravirala dipped her head in salute, and around her all the other sphinxes followed suit.

From Literature

It was a salute to a special era.

From The Wall Street Journal

A line of police officers stood to salute the passing coffin under an overcast sky.

From Barron's

Jessie saying "night night" and giving a salute to an empty suit of armour on her way out of the castle one evening was perhaps the epitome of her brilliant eccentricity.

From BBC

Related Words

• acknowledge
• bow
• congratulate
• hail
• recognize
• welcome