Skip to main content
salutatory

salutatory

9.9
A short speech that welcomes people at a graduation ceremony
  • noun
  • /səˈluːtəˌtɔri/
  • Formal
translation icon : salutación
  • The principal delivered a warm salutatory to the graduates at the commencement ceremony.

Examples

  • As the keynote speaker, she prepared a brief salutatory to welcome the audience to the event.

  • During the graduation, a famous author gave a heartfelt salutatory that inspired all the students.

  • Latin salutatory Quid Durat candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts James Paul Mclone.

Synonyms

address
vssalutatory
  • Formal
212 5.3

A formal speech given to a group of people

is specifically an opening welcome often used at graduation ceremonies
inaugural address
vssalutatory
  • Formal
18 5.9

A formal speech given at the start of an important job, for example by a president

is an opening welcome but not limited to event starts like term inaugurations
oration
vssalutatory
  • Formal
6 7.6

A formal speech given at a special event

focuses on opening welcome rather than any kind of ceremonial speech
salutatory oration
vssalutatory
  • Formal
9.9

An opening speech that welcomes people at a graduation ceremony

is the same meaning but uses a different formal label
salutatory address
vssalutatory
  • Formal
8.8

A welcoming speech that a student representative gives at the start of a graduation

is broader, covering opening welcomes not only by class representatives

Compounds

A graduating student with the second highest rank who gives the opening speech at graduation

8.8

A welcoming speech that a student representative gives at the start of a graduation

9.9

An opening speech that welcomes people at a graduation ceremony

How Welcoming

warm welcome
31 1.0
salutatory
  • Formal
9.9
greeting
283 1.0

Surface Forms

salutatory singular
salutatories plural

Morphology

salutatory = salute (semi-transparent) = salut + atory

The word is linked to 'salute' plus the learned suffix '-atory', but the spelling shift and specialized ceremonial noun sense reduce transparency.

Etymology

Salutatory comes from the Latin salutare, which means 'to greet'. It is related to the words salute and salutation, so a salutatory is a welcome speech given at the start of a ceremony.