DictionaryRoot: salutatory
English
salutatory
welcoming commencement address
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noun
salutatorian
suh-loo-tuh-TOR-ee-un/səˌluːtəˈtɔːriən/
The student ranked second academically in a graduating class.
Etymology
The salutatory was the welcoming address at commencement, so a salutatorian was originally its speaker. Because the address was typically assigned to the second-ranking graduate, the title came to identify that academic rank.