salute

/səˈl(j)uːt/

//səˈl(j)uːt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"salute" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“salute” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #11,110 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#11,110
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
19
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An utterance or gesture expressing greeting or honor towards someone, (now especially) a formal, non-verbal gesture made with the arms or hands in any of various specific positions.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

salute vs slut
67% similar
salute vs sate
67% similar
salute vs sauce
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for salute
PropertyValue
Headwordsalute
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/səˈl(j)uːt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#11,110
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs19
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “salute” 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). salute 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 salute is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /səˈl(j)uːt/. Corpus data places it at rank #11,110 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for salute, with forms such as "aslute", "sallute", and "saltue". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 19 confusable-pair relationships, "slut", "sate", "sauce", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin salūtō (“to greet; to wish health to”), from salūs (“greeting, good health”), related to salvus (“safe”). The correct English form is salute, spelled S-A-L-U-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An utterance or gesture expressing greeting or honor towards someone, (now especially) a formal, non-verbal gesture made with the arms or hands in any of various specific positions.
  2. 2
    A kiss, offered in salutation.
  3. 3
    A discharge of cannon or similar arms, as a mark of honour or respect.
  4. 4
    A pyrotechnic device primarily designed to produce a loud bang.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin salūtō (“to greet; to wish health to”), from salūs (“greeting, good health”), related to salvus (“safe”).

This word in other languages

saudação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: aslute,sallute,saltue,saluet,salutte,saulte,slaute,ssalute

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of salute - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

aslute2sallute1saltue2saluet2salutte1saulte2slaute2ssalute1
Edit distance from "salute"

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 "salute"?
"salute" is spelled S-A-L-U-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /səˈl(j)uːt/.
What does "salute" mean?
As a noun, "salute" means: An utterance or gesture expressing greeting or honor towards someone, (now especially) a formal, non-verbal gesture made with the arms or hands in any of various specific positions.
What words are commonly confused with "salute"?
"salute" is commonly confused with "slut", "sate", "sauce". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "salute"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "salute" is /səˈl(j)uːt/. 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 "salute"?
Borrowed from Latin salūtō (“to greet; to wish health to”), from salūs (“greeting, good health”), related to salvus (“safe”). 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 “salute”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-A-L-U-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /səˈl(j)uːt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “slut” - see the side-by-side comparison. salute vs slut
  • 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