salutatory

From Latin salūtātōrius.

• (US) IPA^(key): /səˈluː.təˌtɔːɹ.iː/
  • Rhymes: -uːtətɔːɹi
• (UK) IPA^(key): /səˈljuː.təˌtɜːɹ.iː/, /səˈljuː.təˌtɹiː/
  • Rhymes: -uːtətɜːɹi, -uːtətɹiː
• Hyphenation: sa‧lu‧ta‧tor‧y

salutatory (comparative more salutatory, superlative most salutatory)

1. Characteristic of or relating to a salutation or greeting.

   a salutatory oration

   a salutatory editorial

   a salutatory address

   • 1659, David Dickson, An Exposition of All St. Pauls Epistles Together with an Explanation of Those Other Epistles of the Apostles St. James, Peter, John & Jude, London: Francis Eglesfield, “The First Epistle General of Peter,” Chapter 1, p. 287,

     In the benediction, or salutatory prayer, he wishes for encrease and multiplication of the effects of Divine favour towards them

   • 1894, John Burroughs, “Spring Jottings”, in Riverby‎, Boston: Hougton Mifflin, page 162:

     The first sloop comes lazily up on the flood tide, like the first butterfly of spring; the little steamer, our river omnibus, makes her first trip, and wakes the echoes with her salutatory whistle, her flags dancing in the sun.

   • 1989, David Foster Wallace, “Luckily the Account Representative Knew CPR”, in Girl with Curious Hair‎, New York: Norton, page 48:

     […] the Account Representative was choosing words neither dismissive nor inviting, neither terse nor intrusive; he was composing a carefully casual face, narrowing salutatory options toward a sort of landlocked “Halloo” that contained already an acknowledgement of distance and an easy willingness to preserve same.

   • 2018, Scott Jaschik (quoting Joey King), “Should Presidents Hug?” Inside Higher Ed, 19 February, 2018,

     King said that he knows "plenty of huggers, male and female, who are presidents and provosts." He said that they "tend to overdo it, in my opinion. My advice would be to stick with more professional salutatory behavior but for exceptional circumstances."

Not to be confused with salutary (“affecting or designed to affect an improvement”).

salutatory (plural salutatories)

2. (chiefly US) A greeting; an address, speech or article of greeting; the first editorial by the new editor of a newspaper or periodical; an introduction or preface.

   She was chosen to deliver the salutatory at the commencement ceremony.

   • 1881, chapter 2, in Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage, editors, History of Woman Suffrage‎, volume 1, New York: Fowler & Wells, page 43:

     The first daily newspaper in the world was established and edited by a woman, Elizabeth Mallet, in London, March, 1702. It was called The Daily Courant. In her salutatory, Mrs. Mallet declared she had established her paper to “spare the public at least half the impertinences which the ordinary papers contain.”

   • 1887, Augusta Jane Evans, chapter 31, in At the Mercy of Tiberius‎, New York: The Co-operative Publication Society, page 548:

     […] a robin red-breast, winging his way from the orange and jasmine boughs of the far sweet South, rested on the ivied wall, and poured out his happy heart in a salutatory to the rising sun.

   • 1916, Max B. May, Isaac Mayer Wise, the Founder of American Judaism: A Biography, New York: Putnam, Chapter 16, p. 395,

     His life’s work is well summed up in his salutatory to vol. xliv. of the American Israelite

3. (obsolete) A place for saluting or greeting.

   Synonyms: vestibule, porch

   • 1641, John Milton, Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England‎, Thomas Underhill, Book 2, p. 80:

     […] coming to the Bishop with Supplication into the Salutatory, some out Porch of the Church, he was charg’d by him of tyrannicall madnes against GOD, for comming into holy ground.

• salutatorian
• salutatory address

• valedictory