declination

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun a condition inferior to an earlier condition; a gradual falling off from a better state
noun a downward slope or bend
noun (astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial body north or to the south of the celestial equator; expressed in degrees; used with right ascension to specify positions on the celestial sphere

From Middle English declinacioun, borrowed from Middle French declination, from Latin declinatio. Doublet of declension.

HIS ECLIPSE, AND GRADUAL DECLINATION. — The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete, T. (Tobias) Smollett
"Yes, with a western declination[2] of nineteen degrees, forty-two minutes, just as it is above. — A Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Jules Verne
The angle of 17°43’30” was approximately the angle of declination reproduced in an artist’s drawing. — Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, United States. Warren Commission

decline

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