salutatorian

plural salutatorians

1. USeducationThe person who graduates high school with the second-highest GPA and thus gets to give the salutatory address during the graduation ceremony.

   He was the salutatorian of his high school class (a sore subject, his sister said, since So thought he missed the top spot on a technicality), and entered Stanford intending to major in computer science.

   2021 July 19, Andrew LaVallee, “A Rising Star’s Career Was Cut Short. His Impact Is Just Beginning.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 19 Jul 2021

   1 more example

   At first, it seemed a joyous occasion. There was an audible gasp in the room, then boisterous cheering and applause when the announcement was made: Ikeria Washington and Layla Temple had been named 2021 valedictorian and salutatorian for West Point High School. […] Within days, and breaking with longstanding tradition, West Point High School decided to name two valedictorians and two salutatorians — with two white students, Emma Berry and Dominic Borgioli, joining the Black students who had already been named.

   2021 June 11, Stephanie Saul, “Two Black Students Won School Honors. Then Came the Calls for a Recount.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 11 Jun 2021