salutation

[ sal-yuh-tey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of saluting. salute.
2. something uttered, written, or done by way of saluting. salute.
3. a word or phrase serving as the prefatory greeting in a letter or speech, as Dear Sir in a letter or Ladies and Gentlemen in a speech.

salutation

/ ˌsæljʊˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. an act, phrase, gesture, etc, that serves as a greeting
2. a form of words used as an opening to a speech or letter, such as Dear Sir or Ladies and Gentlemen
3. the act of saluting

Other Words From

• salu·tation·al adjective
• salu·tation·less adjective
• nonsal·u·tation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of salutation¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin salūtātiōn- (stem of salūtātiō ) greeting, equivalent to salūtāt ( us ) (past participle of salūtāre to greet; salute, -ate ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of salutation¹

C14: from Latin salūtātiō, from salūtāre to greet; see salute

Example Sentences

On Sept. 27, , police found an abandoned van, its exterior spray-painted with the salutation, “Welcome to Culiacán.”

From Los Angeles Times

Think of Leigh’s subsequent sculpture as a monument to its headless-ness — at once a mockery of Joséphine’s thoughtless ignorance and a captivating salutation to the actual power of symbolic resistance.

From Los Angeles Times

On paper, the House bill notes that the “shaka generally consists of extending the thumb and smallest finger while holding the three middle fingers curled, and gesturing in salutation while presenting the front or back of the hand; the wrist may be rotated back and forth for emphasis.”

From Seattle Times

Dap is a customary salutation or greeting amongst Black people.

From Salon

That, in addition to the racism Black soldiers encountered, was the reason behind creation of the salutation.

From Salon