2 syllables: Sa, lute. Stress on lute.
suh-LOOT
/səˈlut/
Salute is pronounced suh-LOOT (/səˈlut/). It has two syllables (Sa-lute), with the stress on "lute". Salute is a noun meaning a gesture or act of respect or honor shown publicly, typically by raising the hand to the forehead or a formal nod. It can also refer to a formal gesture of greeting or acknowledgment. The term carries ceremonial and military connotations, as well as everyday usage in contexts of tribute or recognition.
nounSalute is a noun meaning a gesture or act of respect or honor shown publicly, typically by raising the hand to the forehead or a formal nod. It can also refer to a formal gesture of greeting or acknowledgment. The term carries ceremonial and military connotations, as well as everyday usage in contexts of tribute or recognition.
"The troops stood at attention and gave a precise salute to the flag."
"She raised a quick salute to the host as she entered the room."
"The speaker paid a silent salute to the memories of those who helped her succeed."
Pronunciation is /səˈluːt/ in US/UK/AU. The first syllable is unstressed: /sə/ with a schwa, the second syllable carries main stress: /ˈluːt/ containing a long 'oo' vowel as in 'loot'. Keep the tongue high-mid for /uː/ and end with a light /t/. Tip: say 'suh-LOOT', then seal with a crisp final /t/. Audio references can be found on Pronounce and Forvo for regional nuance.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress, pronouncing as /ˈsəluːt/ or /ˈsaˌluːt/ with overemphasis on the first syllable. (2) Slurring the /luː/ into /luː/ with an inactive tongue; some learners shorten it to /səˈlɪt/ or /ˈsuːt/. (3) Final /t/ becoming a d-shaped or unreleased stop. Corrections: rehearse with the stable /ˈluː/ vowel, keep the tongue high for /uː/ and clearly release the final /t/ with the tip of the tongue at the alveolar ridge.
Across accents, /səˈluːt/ remains, but stress and vowel quality may shift slightly. In many UK accents, the initial /ə/ remains a schwa, with crisp lip rounding for /uː/. US speakers often have a stronger rhotic influence in surrounding words, but /sal-juːt/ still yields a pure /ˈluːt/ in rippled contexts. Australian English keeps /ɪ/ or /ə/ in some unstressed contexts but typically maintains /əˈluːt/. Note: the final consonant is a clear alveolar /t/ in all, not a d-glide.
The difficulty lies in balancing the unstressed first syllable with a strong long /uː/ in the second, plus a crisp final /t/. Many learners contract the schwa too heavily, producing /ˈluːt/ or /səˈluː/ with lengthened vowel or dropped final stop. Paying attention to the two-syllable rhythm, ensuring the /uː/ is a tense, rounded vowel, and releasing /t/ clearly helps fix common errors.
Salute features all audible letters for pronunciation: /səˈluːt/. There are no silent letters in standard pronunciations; the challenge is not letter omission but the accurate execution of the schwa in the first syllable, the long /uː/ vowel, and the crisp /t/. Focus on maintaining syllable separation and a definitive /t/ release to avoid sounding like /səˈluː/.
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Salute derives from the French saluer, meaning 'to greet, to salute', which itself comes from Latin salutare, meaning 'to greet, to greet with health'. The word entered English via Old French in the late medieval period, retaining a ceremonial sense of greeting or honoring someone, especially in military contexts. Early usages emphasized formal gestures of respect towards superiors or symbols, such as the flag or leader. Over centuries, the sense broadened to include more general forms of acknowledgment, and by the modern era, salute encompasses both formal military rituals and everyday gestures of respect. The phonetic form stabilized in Early Modern English as a two-syllable word with primary stress on the first syllable, /səˈluːt/ in most varieties, though pronunciation varies slightly with accent. First known printed attestations appear in military manuals and etiquette guides of the 16th to 17th centuries, reflecting codified ritual practices that standardized the gesture and the word’s usage in ceremonious contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Salute" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Salute" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Salute"
-oot sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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