acclivity
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of acclivity
1605–15; < Latin acclīvitās, equivalent to acclīv ( is ) steep ( ac- ac- + -clīvis, adj. derivative of clīvus slope) + -itās -ity
Explanation
An acclivity might be something to dread if you ride a bike a lot. An acclivity is an uphill slope, so you’ll have to pedal a little harder to get to the top. The word acclivity traces back to the Latin word acclivis, meaning “ascending,” which is a combination of ad-, meaning “toward,” and clivus, meaning “slope.” If you encounter an acclivity, it’s going to be all uphill until you get to the top. The opposite of an acclivity is a declivity, which has a similar Latin origin. In the case of declivity, it’s the de- prefix, meaning “down,” that moves things in the opposite direction and gives it the meaning of “downhill slope.”
Vocabulary lists containing acclivity
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce
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"A Horseman in the Sky" by Ambrose Bierce
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The Return of the Native
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A steep acclivity, as the slope of a hill, or the side of a ravine.
From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages) by Webster, Noah
Passing through a toll-gate I ascended an acclivity, from the top of which I obtained p. 604a full view of the castle, looking stern, dark, and majestic.
From Wild Wales The People, Laguage & Scenery by Borrow, George Henry
In the rear was a narrow pass, with a steep acclivity on either side.
From Legends of The Kaw The Folk-Lore of the Indians of the Kansas River Valley by Voe, Carrie de
The road running up the steep acclivity was of no great width—nothing resembling the broad macadamised “turnpike” of modern times.
From The White Gauntlet by Reid, Mayne
It extends about 2 m. along the river bank, occupying a slight acclivity which reaches its summit at Windmill Hill, whence extensive views are obtained of the river, with its windings and shipping.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 4 "Grasshopper" to "Greek Language" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
