salutatorian

American  

[suh-loo-tuh-tawr-ee-uhn, -tohr-] / səˌlu təˈtɔr i ən, -ˈtoʊr- /

noun

1. (in some U.S. schools and colleges) the student ranking second highest in the graduating class, who delivers the salutatory at commencement.

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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:

• valedictorian vs. salutatorian

Example Sentences

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 ranked second in her class as the salutatorian.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 19, 2021

After graduating as Princeton’s 2006 salutatorian, Padilla earned a master’s degree from Oxford and a doctorate from Stanford.

From New York Times • Feb. 2, 2021

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

“Before we end the ceremony, there are a few more parting words. The first are from your salutatorian, Tucker Beaumont.”

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia