salutatorian

noun

1. (in some U.S. schools and colleges) the student ranking second highest in the graduating class, who delivers the salutatory at commencement.

n.1841, American English, from salutatory “of the nature of a salutation,” here in the specific sense “designating the welcoming address given at a college commencement” (1702) + -ian. The address was originally usually in Latin and given by the second-ranking graduating student.