Lewis & Short

sălūto, āvi, ātum (gen. plur. salutantum, Lucr. 1, 318; Verg. G. 2, 462; Ov. M. 5, 295), 1, v. a. [salus].

  1. * I. (Acc. to salus, I. A.) To keep safe, to preserve: sequenti anno palmites salutentur pro viribus matris singuli aut gemini, Plin. 17, 22, 35, § 177.
  2. II. (Acc. to salus, I. B.) To greet, wish health to, pay one’s respects to, salute any one (freq. in all periods and kinds of composition; cf.: salvere jubeo).
    1. A. In gen.: Charmidem Lysiteles salutat, greets, bids good-day, Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 29: Ly. Di te ament, Agorastocles. Ag. Magis me benigne nunc salutas, quam antidhac, id. Poen. 3, 5, 7; cf. Cic. Phil. 13, 2, 4; id. Att. 5, 2, 2; Suet. Aug. 53: equidem te heri advenientem ilico et salutavi et, valuissesne usque, exquisivi simul, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 83 sq.: cum ille eum salutasset, ut fit, dixissetque: Quid agis, Grani? respondit: Immo vero, tu Druse, quid agis? Cic. Planc. 14, 33: aliquem paulo liberius, id. Cael. 16, 38 fin.: salutabunt benigne, comiter appellabunt unum quemque nostrum, id. Phil. 13, 2, 4: eo me salutat blandius, Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 8: quos postquam salutavi, Quid vos, inquam, Brute et Attice, nunc? Cic. Brut. 3, 10: quem quidem sui Caesarem salutabant, greeted as Cœsar, saluted by the name of Cœsar, id. Att. 14, 12, 2; cf. passively: Pompeius eo proelio Imperator est appellatus. Hoc nomen obtinuit, atque ita se postea salutari passuś est, * Caes. B. C. 3, 71; so, aliquem imperatorem, Tac. A. 2, 18; id. H. 2, 80: aliquem dominum regemque. Juv. 8, 161: Nero Britannicum nomine, illi Domitium salutavere, Tac. A. 12, 41; Liv. 1, 6; Suet. Aug. 58: bene vale Tironemque meum saluta nostris verbis, greet in my name, for me, Curius ap. Cic. Fam. 7, 29, 2: Dionysius te omnesque vos salutat, salutes, sends greeting to, Cic. Att. 4, 11, 2: esse salutatum vult te, Ov. P. 2, 7, 1.
      Absol.: ut salutem, Ter. Ad. 3, 3, 92; id. Eun. 2, 2, 28.
      Of paying reverence to a divinity: deos atque amicos iit salutatum ad forum, Plaut. Bacch. 2, 3, 113; Cato, R. R. 2, 1; Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 29; id. Curc. 1, 1, 70; Ter. Phorm. 2, 1, 81: Cic. Rosc. Am. 20, 56 al.
      Of wishing one well when sneezing: cur sternumentis salutamus? why do we say, God bless you? Plin. 28, 2, 5, § 23.
      Of greeting a place: Italiam laeto socii clamore salutant, Verg. A. 3, 524: agros, Ov. M. 3, 25; cf. templa, id. ib. 15, 687; id. Tr. 1, 1, 15.
      1. 2. To bid farewell, to take leave (rare): etiamnunc saluto te, priusquam eo, Plaut. Mil. 4, 8, 29: notam puppem de rupe salutant, Stat. Th. 4, 31.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To visit out of compliment, to pay one’s respects to, to wait upon a person: Curtius venit salutandi causā, Cic. Att. 13, 9, 1: cum ad me salutandi causā venisset, id. ib. 6, 2, 1: eram continuo Piliam salutaturus, id. ib. 14, 20, 5: salutatum introire, Sall. C. 28, 1; Hor. S. 1, 6, 101; cf. Juv. 10, 90; 3, 184.
      2. 2. To greet one’s visitors (rare): mane salutamus domi et bonos viros multos, etc. … Veniunt etiam, qui, etc., Cic. Fam. 9, 20, 3.
      3. 3. Under the emperors, of the morning attendance at court, Suet. Tib. 32; id. Galb. 17; id. Oth. 6; id. Vesp. 12; 21; Tac. H. 2, 92 et saep.