declivity

[ dih-kliv-i-tee ]

/ dɪˈklɪv ɪ ti /

a downward slope, as of ground (opposed to acclivity).

Origin of declivity

1605–15; < L of dēclīvitās a slope, hill, equivalent to dēclīvi(s) sloping downward ( dē- de- + clīv(us) slope, hill + -is adj. suffix) + -tās -ty²

When he comes to a declivity, he will put his fore feet together, and slide swiftly down it, shoving the snow before him.

Excursions and Poems |Henry David Thoreau
At length we came to an Armenian village, situated in a hollow of these mountains, on a declivity.

Henry Martyn Saint and Scholar |George Smith
I was working on the declivity which led to the Val d'Etretat.

The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Vol. 1 (of 8) |Guy de Maupassant
He, Gerd and the pilot piled out and started climbing and sliding down the declivity.

Little Fuzzy |Henry Beam Piper

But easy roads to painting are like walking on a declivity, where it is difficult to count one's steps, or restrain one's motions.

The History of Painting in Italy, Vol. V (of 6) |Luigi Antonio Lanzi

declivity

/ (dɪˈklɪvɪtɪ) /

a downward slope, esp of the ground Compare acclivity

declivitous, adjective

C17: from Latin dēclīvitās, from de- + clīvus a slope, hill