I. -nt adjective
Etymology: Latin salient-, saliens, present participle of salire to leap, spring — more at sally
1. or saliant heraldry , of a beast
a. : rampant but leaning forward as if leaping
b. : being in a leaping position with both hind feet on the ground
2. : moving by leaps or springs : jumping
a salient animal
a salient fish
specifically : of or relating to the Salientia
a salient amphibian
3. : spouting forth : jetting upward
a salient spring
a salient fountain
4.
a. : projecting above or beyond a general line, surface, or level : jutting upward or outward : protuberant
his nose was salient and pointed — Elinor Wylie
not on th level ground but on a salient corner … of earth — Thomas Hardy
b. : standing out conspicuously : prominent , striking
salient features
salient traits
will suffice to give its salient points only — Review of Religion
pick the salient details out of dull verbiage — J.P.Marquand
Synonyms: see noticeable
II. noun
( -s )
1. : salient angle ; specifically : an offensive bulge into enemy-held territory
salients … so arranged that any one bastion could come to the aid of another by means of cross fire — Lewis Mumford
a front line … has salients and reentrants all along its length, depending on the progress of the fighting at different points — Infantry Journal
2. : something (as a promontory or cape along a shoreline or an abrupt change in the profile of a stream course) that projects outward or upward from its surroundings