declension
[ dih-klen-shuh n ]
/ dɪˈklɛn ʃən /
noun
Grammar.
- the inflection of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives for categories such as case and number.
- the whole set of inflected forms of such a word, or the recital thereof in a fixed order.
- a class of such words having similar sets of inflected forms: the Latin second declension.
an act or instance of declining.
a bending, sloping, or moving downward: land with a gentle declension toward the sea.
deterioration; decline.
deviation, as from a standard.
Origin of declension
1400–50; late Middle English
declenson, declynson (with suffix later assimilated to
-sion), by stress retraction and syncope < Old French
declinaison < Latin
dēclīnātiō
declination
Words nearby declension
declare war on,
declared,
declarer,
declass,
declassify,
declension,
declensional,
declinable,
declinate,
declination,
declinatory
Example sentences from the Web for declension
British Dictionary definitions for declension
declension
/ (dɪˈklɛnʃən) /
noun
grammar
- inflection of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives for case, number, and gender
- the complete set of the inflections of such a word"puella" is a first-declension noun in Latin
a decline or deviation from a standard, belief, etc
a downward slope or bend
Derived forms of declension
declensional, adjective declensionally, adverbWord Origin for declension
C15: from Latin
dēclīnātiō, literally: a bending aside, hence variation, inflection; see
decline