Salaams are a form of greeting or respect that is traditionally used in the Middle East and South Asia. It involves bowing with the hands placed on the chest. The word salaam is derived from the Arabic word for peace, and the gesture is often accompanied by the phrase 'as-salaam alaikum, ' which translates to 'peace be upon you.' The crossword solution for salaams is 'BOWS, ' as this is the physical gesture associated with the term.