salutary

/ˈsaljʊtəɹi/

//ˈsaljʊtəɹi// adj

"salutary" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“salutary” is an uncommon English word, ranked #58,988 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#58,988
frequency rank, English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Effecting or designed to effect an improvement; remedial.

Key facts for salutary
PropertyValue
Headwordsalutary
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈsaljʊtəɹi/
Letters8
Frequency rank#58,988
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “salutary” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). salutary lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for salutary is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsaljʊtəɹi/. Corpus data places it at rank #58,988 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

salutary doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French salutaire and its source, Latin salutaris (“healthful”), from salus (“health”). The correct English form is salutary, spelled S-A-L-U-T-A-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Effecting or designed to effect an improvement; remedial.
  2. 2
    Promoting good health and physical well-being; wholesome; curative.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French salutaire and its source, Latin salutaris (“healthful”), from salus (“health”).

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "salutary"?
"salutary" is spelled S-A-L-U-T-A-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsaljʊtəɹi/.
What does "salutary" mean?
As an adjective, "salutary" means: Effecting or designed to effect an improvement; remedial.
How do you pronounce "salutary"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "salutary" is /ˈsaljʊtəɹi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "salutary"?
Borrowed from Middle French salutaire and its source, Latin salutaris (“healthful”), from salus (“health”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “salutary”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-A-L-U-T-A-R-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsaljʊtəɹi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list