noun
declination
A downward slope or inclination.
The path has a slight declination toward the river.
Etymology
The Latin verb means to bend down or turn aside. This sense preserves the physical inclination, naming a surface or direction that slopes downward.
More examples
- The surveyor measures the declination of the hillside.
- The roof's declination allows rainwater to drain into the gutter.
- The road's declination becomes steeper beyond the bridge.
Forms
declination · declinations
decline verb — To slope or move downward.