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No opening salvo here: salvo in phrases like “an opening salvo” is a kind of attack, especially one that is strong or sudden. Usually, such salvos are verbal attacks, like a critical remark aimed at a debate opponent, or a pointed accusation at the start of an editorial. But salvo can also refer to attacks of a more perilous kind, including various martial actions involving bombs, rockets, and artillery. (It can also refer to the bombs or projectiles released in a salvo.) The word arrived from Italian in the late 16th century with a complex meaning: it referred to a simultaneous discharge of two or more guns, either in military action or as a salute. The word's ultimate source is the Latin word salve, meaning “hail!,” which was an ancient Roman greeting. In English, salvo is also sometimes used for a sudden occurrence of applause, laughter, etc., from many people, which sounds to us like the best kind of all.
Synonyms
Examples of salvo in a Sentence
Chris Klimek, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2024
Uri Friedman, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2024
That outcome would underscore why authorities undertook aggressive easing measures late last month, and presented another salvo of support on Saturday.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near salvo
Cite this Entry
“Salvo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salvo. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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