Salient
Etymology
From Latin "saliēns," the present participle of "salīre" ("to leap"). It entered English first in heraldry and anatomy meaning "jutting out, projecting." The figurative "leaping to notice" sense grew from the phrase "salient point," a translation of "punctum saliens" — the beating heart glimpsed in an embryo, the first thing to spring into view.
adjective · /SAY-lee-unt/
Standing out as the most noticeable or important feature.
What it names
Use it for the point that leaps to attention above the rest — the salient detail is the one your eye or mind lands on first, not just any relevant one.
Example
She skipped the small talk and went straight to the salient question: who was paying for this?
Related idea
Sharper than pertinent: something pertinent is merely relevant, whereas the salient thing is relevant and conspicuously prominent.
noun / adjective · /SAY-lee-unt/
A part that juts or projects outward; in warfare, a bulge in a battle line that pushes into enemy territory.
What it names
an outward projection — a spur of a fortification, coastline, or front line
Example
Troops in the salient were exposed to fire on three sides.
Related idea
Both senses come from Latin “to leap”: a salient point leaps out at the eye, while a military salient leaps forward from the line — literally jutting rather than figuratively standing out.