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

declensions

noun

plural of declension

as in declinations

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

declinations
deteriorations
degradations
declines
degenerations
descents
devolutions
degeneracies
decadences
falls
eclipses
downfalls
decreases
ebbs
dégringolades
decompositions
destructions
downgrades
decays
dissolutions
debasements
dark ages
reductions
breakups
disintegrations
nadirs
losses
dips
diminutions
slumps
depreciations
ruins
decimations
sunsets
abasements
drops
shrinkages
falloffs
deflations
downturns
demolitions
diminishments
ruinations
downtrends
abatements
sags
slips
desolations
de-escalations
havoc
downslides
decrements
demolishments
drop-offs

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

evolutions
developments
growths
ascents
rises
upswings
advancements
renewals
increases
additions
restorations
flowerings
gains
accretions
increments
supplements
enhancements
addenda
accruals
augmentations
revitalizations
raises
addendums
boosts

as in dips

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

dips
falls
downhills
descents
declines
declivities
hangings
depressions
hangs
basins
downgrades
hollows

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ascents
rises
uprises
upgrades
grades
inclinations
inclines
pitches
acclivities
hills
gradients
glacis
tilts
uphills
rakes
leans

单词	declensions
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 declensions noun plural of declension 1 as in declinations a change to a lower state or level a declension in her acting career from leading roles to cameos eventually Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance declinations deteriorations degradations declines degenerations descents devolutions degeneracies decadences falls eclipses downfalls decreases ebbs dégringolades decompositions destructions downgrades decays dissolutions debasements dark ages reductions breakups disintegrations nadirs losses dips diminutions slumps depreciations ruins decimations sunsets abasements drops shrinkages falloffs deflations downturns demolitions diminishments ruinations downtrends abatements sags slips desolations de-escalations havoc downslides decrements demolishments drop-offs Antonyms & Near Antonyms evolutions developments growths ascents rises upswings advancements renewals increases additions restorations flowerings gains accretions increments supplements enhancements addenda accruals augmentations revitalizations raises addendums boosts See More 2 as in dips a downward slope from this region to the seacoast there's a gentle declension of the landscape Synonyms & Similar Words dips falls downhills descents declines declivities hangings depressions hangs basins downgrades hollows Antonyms & Near Antonyms ascents rises uprises upgrades grades inclinations inclines pitches acclivities hills gradients glacis tilts uphills rakes leans See More
随便看	understudy understudying undersubscribed undersubscribes undersubscribing undersubscriptions undersupplied undersupplies undersupply undersupplying undersurface undersurfaces undertail undertake undertaken undertaker undertakerly undertakers undertakes undertaking undertakings undertaxed undertaxes undertaxing undertenancies

declension

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

noun