sa·li·ent (sl-nt, slynt)
1. Projecting or jutting beyond a line or surface; protruding.
2. Strikingly conspicuous; prominent. See Synonyms at noticeable.
3. Springing; jumping: salient tree toads.
1. A military position that projects into the position of the enemy.
2. A projecting angle or part.
[Latin salins, salient-, present participle of salre, to leap; see sel- in Indo-European roots.]
Noun 1. salient - (military) the part of the line of battle that projects closest to the enemy
armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"
line of battle - a line formed by troops or ships prepared to deliver or receive an attack
projection - any solid convex shape that juts out from something
Adj. 1. salient - having a quality that thrusts itself into attention; "an outstanding fact of our time is that nations poisoned by anti semitism proved less fortunate in regard to their own freedom"; "a new theory is the most prominent feature of the book"; "salient traits"; "a spectacular rise in prices"; "a striking thing about Picadilly Circus is the statue of Eros in the center"; "a striking resemblance between parent and child"
prominent, outstanding, striking, spectacular
conspicuous, obvious - obvious to the eye or mind; "a tower conspicuous at a great distance"; "wore conspicuous neckties"; "made herself conspicuous by her exhibitionistic preening"
2. salient - (of angles) pointing outward at an angle of less than 180 degrees
re-entrant, reentrant - (of angles) pointing inward; "a polygon with re-entrant angles"
3. salient - represented as leaping (rampant but leaning forward)
heraldry - the study and classification of armorial bearings and the tracing of genealogies
inclined - at an angle to the horizontal or vertical position; "an inclined plane"
the second definition is the one I use most, oh let's get real, the only one I use.