salient

UK: /ˈseɪliənt/

US: /ˈseɪliənt, ˈseɪljənt/

US: (sā′lē ənt, sāl′yənt)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

sa•li•ent /ˈseɪliənt, ˈseɪlyənt/   adj. 

1. most noticeable;
   prominent:
   salient features.
2. sticking up or pointing outward.

n. [countable]

3. an angle that sticks up or points out:
   a salient defended by the troops.

sa•li•ence, n. [uncountable]
sa•li•ent•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

sa•li•ent  (sā′lē ənt, sāl′yənt), adj. 

1. prominent or conspicuous:
   salient traits.
2. projecting or pointing outward:
   a salient angle.
3. leaping or jumping:
   a salient animal.
4. Heraldry (of a beast) represented as leaping:
   a lion salient.

n. 

5. a salient angle or part, as the central outward-projecting angle of a bastion or an outward projection in a battle line.
6. Geography [Physical Geog.] a landform that extends out beyond its surroundings, as a spur projecting from the side of a mountain. Cf. reentrant (def. 4).

• Latin salient- (stem of saliēns, present participle of salīre to spring, jump), equivalent. to sali- verb stem + -ent- -ent
• 1555–65

sa′li•ent•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. important; striking, remarkable.

Antonyms

• 1. inconspicuous, unimportant.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

salient / ˈseɪlɪənt/ adjective

1. prominent, conspicuous, or striking: a salient feature
2. (esp in fortifications) projecting outwards at an angle of less than 180°
   Compare re-entrant1
3. (of an angle) pointing outwards from a polygon and hence less than 180°
4. (esp of animals) leaping

noun

1. a projection of the forward line into enemy-held territory
2. a salient angle

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin salīre to leap

ˈsalience, ˈsaliency noun

ˈsaliently adverb