salute

The word “salute” means a formal gesture of greeting or respect, such as raising a hand to the forehead. In plain terms, a formal greeting gesture, or to honour someone with one — also used more loosely to mean "praise" or "acknowledge.".

“Salute” is pronounced suh-LOOT (/səˈlut/ in IPA).

Here is “salute” used in a sentence: “The soldiers gave a crisp salute as the general walked past.”

Depending on how it is used, “salute” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “salute” comes from Latin. From Latin salutare, "to wish well" or "to greet," from salus, "health, safety" — the same root as "salutation" and the toast "salud.".

“Salute” is an uncommon word in modern English.

“Salute” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a formal gesture of greeting or respect, such as raising a hand to the forehead.

A salute is a specific formal gesture of respect, such as raising a hand to the forehead, typically used in military or ceremonial settings. A greeting is broader and can include casual words or gestures like waving or saying hello, without the formality a salute implies.

While "salute" is strongly associated with the military hand gesture, it can also describe honouring someone with formal words or actions in non-military contexts, such as saluting a colleague's achievement in a speech. The core sense always involves showing respect through a formal act.

Yes, "salute" works as a noun for the gesture itself, as in "he gave a crisp salute," and as a verb for the act of performing it, as in "the soldiers saluted their commander." Both forms centre on the same idea of a formal display of respect.