declension

noun

de·clen·sion di-ˈklen(t)-shən How to pronounce declension (audio)

: noun, adjective, or pronoun inflection especially in some prescribed order of the forms

: a class of nouns or adjectives having the same type of inflectional forms

: a falling off or away : deterioration

: descent, slope

declensional

di-ˈklen(t)-shə-nᵊl How to pronounce declension (audio)

adjective

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The Evolution of Declension

Declension came into English (via Middle French) in the first half of the 15th century, originating in the Latin verb declinare, meaning "to inflect" or "to turn aside." The word seems to have whiled away its time in the narrow field of grammar until Shakespeare put a new sense of the word in his play Richard III in 1593: "A beauty-waning and distressed widow / … Seduc'd the pitch and height of his degree / To base declension and loath'd bigamy." This "deterioration" sense led within a few decades to the newest sense of the word still in common use, "descent" or "slope." The 19th century saw still another new sense of the word—meaning "a courteous refusal"—but that sense has remained quite rare.

Example Sentences

a noticeable declension of the fitness of the baseball players over the winter a declension in her acting career from leading roles to cameos eventually

Recent Examples on the Web The same time span felt faster, like an explosion rather than like a declension.

Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 7 June 2021 One time, when Joyce was memorizing Latin declension, Bill Bradley of the Knicks took notice.

Katherine Fitzgerald, The Arizona Republic, 18 July 2021 The experience of the pandemic was made ghastlier by being placed against the declension of Trumpism from evil to absurdity—who will ever forget Four Seasons Total Landscaping?—and then back into even darker evil again.

Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2020 Gender plays an integral role in many languages, from nouns assigned to a specific gender to adjectives changing their declensions based on the noun being described.

Madhvi Ramani, Smithsonian, 28 Feb. 2018 Gender plays an integral role in many languages, from nouns assigned to a specific gender to adjectives changing their declensions based on the noun being described.

Madhvi Ramani, Smithsonian, 28 Feb. 2018

declension

noun

as in deterioration

a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body a noticeable declension of the fitness of the baseball players over the winter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

deterioration
weakening
decline
decay
degeneration
decaying
enfeeblement
atrophy
debilitation
exhaustion
ebbing
descent
regression
relapse
drooping
flagging
limping
setback

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

improvement
recovery
revitalization
rehabilitation
recuperation
progress
strengthening
comeback
rally
invigoration
rejuvenation
snapback
rejuvenescence

as in declination

a change to a lower state or level a declension in her acting career from leading roles to cameos eventually

Synonyms & Similar Words

declination
decline
deterioration
degradation
descent
decadence
downfall
degeneration
degeneracy
ebb
decrease
devolution
eclipse
fall
reduction
destruction
decay
dissolution
disintegration
decomposition
dégringolade
downgrade
drop
debasement
breakup
loss
diminution
abasement
nadir
dark age
slump
depreciation
decimation
rotting
dip
crumbling
diminishment
ruination
sunset
downturn
lessening
deflation
falloff
shrinkage
spoiling
abatement
decrement
sag
downtrend
desolation
ruin
demolition
downslide
lowering
demolishment
slip
havoc
drop-off
de-escalation

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rise
growth
evolution
development
ascent
advancement
upswing
flowering
renewal
restoration
revitalization
increase
addition
flourishing
enhancement
increment
blossoming
addendum
supplement
gain
accrual
accretion
boost
augmentation
raise
heightening

as in decline

a downward slope from this region to the seacoast there's a gentle declension of the landscape

Synonyms & Similar Words

decline
dip
downhill
descent
fall
declivity
depression
hanging
hang
hollow
downgrade
basin

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rise
ascent
uprise
inclination
uphill
grade
incline
acclivity
upgrade
pitch
gradient
tilt
hill
rake
lean
glacis

单词	declension
释义	declension noun de·clen·sion di-ˈklen(t)-shən 1 a : noun, adjective, or pronoun inflection especially in some prescribed order of the forms b : a class of nouns or adjectives having the same type of inflectional forms 2 : a falling off or away : deterioration 3 : descent, slope declensional di-ˈklen(t)-shə-nᵊl adjective Did you know? The Evolution of Declension Declension came into English (via Middle French) in the first half of the 15th century, originating in the Latin verb declinare, meaning "to inflect" or "to turn aside." The word seems to have whiled away its time in the narrow field of grammar until Shakespeare put a new sense of the word in his play Richard III in 1593: "A beauty-waning and distressed widow / … Seduc'd the pitch and height of his degree / To base declension and loath'd bigamy." This "deterioration" sense led within a few decades to the newest sense of the word still in common use, "descent" or "slope." The 19th century saw still another new sense of the word—meaning "a courteous refusal"—but that sense has remained quite rare. Synonyms debilitation decay decaying decline degeneration descent deterioration ebbing enfeeblement weakening See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences a noticeable declension of the fitness of the baseball players over the winter a declension in her acting career from leading roles to cameos eventually Recent Examples on the Web The same time span felt faster, like an explosion rather than like a declension. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 7 June 2021 One time, when Joyce was memorizing Latin declension, Bill Bradley of the Knicks took notice. Katherine Fitzgerald, The Arizona Republic, 18 July 2021 The experience of the pandemic was made ghastlier by being placed against the declension of Trumpism from evil to absurdity—who will ever forget Four Seasons Total Landscaping?—and then back into even darker evil again. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2020 Gender plays an integral role in many languages, from nouns assigned to a specific gender to adjectives changing their declensions based on the noun being described. Madhvi Ramani, Smithsonian, 28 Feb. 2018 Gender plays an integral role in many languages, from nouns assigned to a specific gender to adjectives changing their declensions based on the noun being described. Madhvi Ramani, Smithsonian, 28 Feb. 2018 Word History Etymology Middle English declenson, modification of Middle French declinaison, from Latin declination-, declinatio grammatical inflection, turning aside, from declinare to inflect, turn aside First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a declension noun 1 as in deterioration a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body a noticeable declension of the fitness of the baseball players over the winter Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance deterioration weakening decline decay degeneration decaying enfeeblement atrophy debilitation exhaustion ebbing descent regression relapse drooping flagging limping setback Antonyms & Near Antonyms improvement recovery revitalization rehabilitation recuperation progress strengthening comeback rally invigoration rejuvenation snapback rejuvenescence See More 2 as in declination a change to a lower state or level a declension in her acting career from leading roles to cameos eventually Synonyms & Similar Words declination decline deterioration degradation descent decadence downfall degeneration degeneracy ebb decrease devolution eclipse fall reduction destruction decay dissolution disintegration decomposition dégringolade downgrade drop debasement breakup loss diminution abasement nadir dark age slump depreciation decimation rotting dip crumbling diminishment ruination sunset downturn lessening deflation falloff shrinkage spoiling abatement decrement sag downtrend desolation ruin demolition downslide lowering demolishment slip havoc drop-off de-escalation Antonyms & Near Antonyms rise growth evolution development ascent advancement upswing flowering renewal restoration revitalization increase addition flourishing enhancement increment blossoming addendum supplement gain accrual accretion boost augmentation raise heightening See More 3 as in decline a downward slope from this region to the seacoast there's a gentle declension of the landscape Synonyms & Similar Words decline dip downhill descent fall declivity depression hanging hang hollow downgrade basin Antonyms & Near Antonyms rise ascent uprise inclination uphill grade incline acclivity upgrade pitch gradient tilt hill rake lean glacis See More
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declension

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

noun