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declinational

 - 4 dictionary results

dec⋅li⋅na⋅tion

  [dek-luh-ney-shuhn]
Use declinational in a Sentence
–noun
1. a bending, sloping, or moving downward.
2. deterioration; decline.
3. a swerving or deviating, as from a standard.
4. a polite refusal.
5. Astronomy. the angular distance of a heavenly body from the celestial equator, measured on the great circle passing through the celestial pole and the body.
6. variation (def. 8).
7. the formal refusal by a nominee of a nomination to public office.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME declinacioun < OF declinacion < L dēclīnātiōn- (s. of dēclīnātiō), equiv. to dēclīnāt(us), lit., turned aside (ptp. of dēclīnāre; see decline, -ate 1 ) + -iōn- -ion

Related forms:
dec⋅li⋅na⋅tion⋅al, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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dec·li·na·tion   (děk'lə-nā'shən)   
n.  

  1. A sloping or bending downward.

  2. A falling off, especially from prosperity or vigor; a decline.

  3. A deviation, as from a specific direction or standard.

  4. A refusal to accept.

  5. Magnetic declination.

  6. Astronomy The angular distance to a point on a celestial object, measured north or south from the celestial equator.


[Middle English declinacioun, from Old French declination, from Latin dēclīnātiō, dēclīnātiōn-, from dēclīnātus, past participle of dēclīnāre, to turn away; see decline.]
dec'li·na'tion·al adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

declination dec·li·na·tion (děk'lə-nā'shən)
n.

  1. A bending, sloping, or other deviation from a normal vertical position.

  2. A deviation of the vertical meridian of the eye to one or the other side due to rotation of the eyeball about its anteroposterior axis.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
declination   (děk'lə-nā'shən)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. On the celestial sphere, the position of a celestial object north or south of the celestial equator. Declination is measured in degrees along a great circle drawn through the object being measured and the north and south celestial poles, with positive values north of the celestial equator and negative values south of it, so that the equator itself is 0° and the north and south celestial poles are +90° and -90° declination respectively. See more at equatorial coordinate system.

  2. See magnetic declination.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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