SALU'TE, L. saluto salus or salvus.
1. To greet to hail to address with expressions of kind wishes.
If ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Matthew 5 .
2. To please to gratify. Unusual.
3. To kiss.
4. In military and naval affairs, to honor some person or nation by a discharge of cannon or small arms, by striking colors, by shouts, &c.
SALU'TE, n.
1. The act of expressing kind wishes or respect salutation greeting.
2. A kiss.
3. In military affairs, a discharge of cannon or small arms in honor of some distinguished personage. A salute is sometimes performed by lowering the colors or beating the drums. The officers also salute each other by bowing their half pikes.
4. In the navy, a testimony of respect or deference rendered by the ships of one nation to the ships of another, or by ships of the same nation to a superior or equal. This is performed by a discharge of cannon, volleys of small arms, striking the colors or top-sails, or by shouts of the seamen mounted on the masts or rigging. When two squadrons meet, the two chiefs only are to exchange salutes.