punctum saliens noun2 •(historical) The primordial heart in an embryo, appearing as a throbbing point.The rudiments of the brain, eyes, punctum saliens, spinal cord, six vertebrae, shades of ribs, a dark knob at the cephalic extremity of spine, and an oval expansion at the caudal extremity. — 1846 •(figurative) Starting point, source; gist.
