declension

American  

[dih-klen-shuhn] / dɪˈklɛn ʃən /

noun

1. Grammar.

   1. the inflection of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives for categories such as case and number.

   2. the whole set of inflected forms of such a word, or the recital thereof in a fixed order.

   3. a class of such words having similar sets of inflected forms.

      the Latin second declension.

2. an act or instance of declining.

3. a bending, sloping, or moving downward.

   land with a gentle declension toward the sea.

4. deterioration; decline.

5. deviation, as from a standard.

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declension British  

/ dɪˈklɛnʃən /

noun

1. grammar

   1. inflection of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives for case, number, and gender

   2. the complete set of the inflections of such a word

      "puella" is a first-declension noun in Latin

2. a decline or deviation from a standard, belief, etc

3. a downward slope or bend

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Other Word Forms

• declensional adjective
• declensionally adverb

Etymology

Origin of declension

1400–50; late Middle English declenson, declynson (with suffix later assimilated to -sion ), by stress retraction and syncope < Old French declinaison < Latin dēclīnātiō declination

Example Sentences

Although he knew some Russian, Bobby had trouble with the declensions and usage.

From Literature

There’s a similar declension in the odysseys of the six converts profiled by Daniel Oppenheimer in his engaging study “Exit Right: The People Who Left the Left and Reshaped the American Century.”

From The New Yorker

As we drift through the declension of the holiday season, perhaps you’re still searching for a song to evict “Winter Wonderland” from the forefront of your consciousness.

From Washington Post

Doubly true when the bomber is De Niro, whose deployment of that sturdy little word in all its declensions over decades of movie masterworks is to cussing what Chopin is to melody.

From Washington Post

My preceptor indicated that it would delight him to offer assistance upon any point wherein his small powers might prove of use—declensions, verb irregularities.

From Literature