cline
Biology. the gradual change in certain characteristics exhibited by members of a series of adjacent populations of organisms of the same species.
Linguistics. (in systemic linguistics) a scale of continuous gradation; continuum.
Origin of cline
1Other words from cline
- clinal, adjective
- clin·al·ly, adverb
Words Nearby cline
Other definitions for Cline (2 of 2)
Patsy Virginia Patterson Hensley, 1932–63, U.S. country singer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use cline in a sentence
They searched cline’s car and found $6,699, believed to be taken from the Wells Fargo, investigators said.
Previously convicted bank robber allegedly hits new bank while under covert surveillance, gets arrested | Dan Morse | February 12, 2021 | Washington PostThe officers saw cline run out, but held off on trying to stop her in favor of following her further, according to court records.
Previously convicted bank robber allegedly hits new bank while under covert surveillance, gets arrested | Dan Morse | February 12, 2021 | Washington Postcline walked in, authorities allege, and a minute later ran out.
Previously convicted bank robber allegedly hits new bank while under covert surveillance, gets arrested | Dan Morse | February 12, 2021 | Washington PostFederal probation records showed that cline lived within about a mile of both of the recent incidents.
Previously convicted bank robber allegedly hits new bank while under covert surveillance, gets arrested | Dan Morse | February 12, 2021 | Washington Postcline’s stepmother told The Post at the time that cline had been a “beautiful child” as a youngster and that the family did not know why cline had been involved in the robberies.
Previously convicted bank robber allegedly hits new bank while under covert surveillance, gets arrested | Dan Morse | February 12, 2021 | Washington Post
So, cline officials courted state legislators and hired lobbyists.
In an interview, Buchen said several groups, including cline and the WMC, gave input on the bill.
Patsy cline singing the devastating “I Fall to Pieces” before dying in a plane crash at the age of 30.
Three of the targets, Lefkofsky, Pegula, and cline, were on the the Forbes 400, a list of the richest people in America.
How a No-Name Actor Tried to Extort Harvey Weinstein and Groupon’s Cofounder | Christine Pelisek | August 24, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTWeinstein, who declined to comment on the case, was the first to receive a letter, followed by cline on June 14.
How a No-Name Actor Tried to Extort Harvey Weinstein and Groupon’s Cofounder | Christine Pelisek | August 24, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTThanks to Mademoiselle cline's drilling, I was pretty ready at "dicte," and after the first surprise, got along very well.
Rutledge | Miriam Coles HarrisBoth his company and cline's bivouacked in the town that night.
John Brown, Soldier of Fortune | Hill Peebles Wilsoncline had softly shut the door behind the guest, but involuntarily he backed against it.
Vision House | C. N. Williamsoncline moaned aloud, with a bleating noise, and gabbled argot as she tidied the belongings which Mademoiselle had flung everywhere.
Vision House | C. N. Williamson"Take these things into the dressing-room, cline," ordered Marise, tossing her gold bag and furs to the maid.
Vision House | C. N. Williamson
British Dictionary definitions for cline (1 of 3)
/ (klaɪn) /
a continuous variation in form between members of a species having a wide variable geographical or ecological range
Origin of cline
1Derived forms of cline
- clinal, adjective
- clinally, adverb
British Dictionary definitions for Cline (2 of 3)
/ (klaɪn) /
Patsy, original name Virginia Patterson Hensley . 1932–63, US country singer; her bestselling records include "Walking After Midnight", "I Fall to Pieces", and "Leavin' On Your Mind"
British Dictionary definitions for -cline (3 of 3)
indicating a slope: anticline
Origin of -cline
3Derived forms of -cline
- -clinal, adj combining form
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for cline
[ klīn ]
A gradual change in an inherited characteristic across the geographic range of a species, usually correlated with an environmental transition such as altitude, temperature, or moisture. For example, the body size in a species of warm-blooded animals tends to be larger in cooler climates (a latitudinal cline), while the flowering time of a plant may tend to be later at higher altitudes (an altitudinal cline). In species in which the gene flow between adjacent populations is high, the cline is typically smooth, whereas in populations with restricted gene flow the cline usually occurs as a series of relatively abrupt changes from one group to the next.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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