salutary

Salutary is an adjective that describes something producing a beneficial or healthful effect. It can refer to tangible health benefits, such as a salutary medical intervention, as well as to impressions, policies, or experiences that contribute to improvement or well-being. When used figuratively, it often signals a corrective or admonitory value, as in a salutary lesson or a salutary reminder that helps prevent harm or bad outcomes.

The word derives from Latin salutāris meaning healthful, from salūs meaning health or welfare. In English it has appeared since the early modern period and is most commonly used in formal, literary, or scholarly contexts. The related noun salutary is less frequent but standard; the adverbial form is rarely used, with salutarily appearing in older texts.

In usage, salutary tends to describe consequences that are advantageous in the longer term, even if they are not immediately pleasant. It is commonly paired with terms such as effect, result, reform, measure, or lesson. The tone is neutral to mildly positive and can carry a normative sense, implying that the described effect is desirable or salutary for a community, institution, or individual.

Examples: A salutary reform reduced waste and improved accountability. The challenge proved a salutary experience for the organization, imparting important lessons about strategy and governance.