The Meaning of “Salve Regina”

By: Lindsay Little
Posted In: Entertainment

“What’s in a name?”

This famous line from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” has the potential to inspire close investigation of the true meaning of a name that the majority of Salve students take for granted.

What IS in a name?

The Latin root of Salve is either salvus or salveo. According to the Dictionary of Latin Literature by James H. Mantinband, salvus means generally safe, unhurt, well, and sound. Salveo means either to be well and in good health or it can be used as a greeting. It has been used in respects paid to a deity, in welcoming, and in bidding farewell.

The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology lists that before 1200 C. E. “salve” had a common figurative meaning: As a noun it was considered a healing remedy. As a verb, “salven” meant to heal or treat spiritually.

In 1825, the figurative sense of the word was further elaborated to connote “to soothe one’s conscience.”

The Etymological Dictionary also lists another verb meaning for “salve”: a theological consideration of the world dating to 1667. At that time salve meant “fit for salvation.” This meaning most likely derives directly from latin “Salvare,” to save.

For the university’s last name, the online etymology dictionary is listed as a “feminine proper name from latin,” meaning either queen or maiden/virgin.

A Latin hymn, called “Salve Regina,” written around the 8th or 9th century, whose author is disputed, begins, “Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.”

This is translated as “Hail holy queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.”

You can safely assume that the name Salve Regina University means exactly this.

This translation invokes the passion of the Sisters of Mercy who founded Salve. It promotes pride in the Catholic faith.