declension
Grammar.
the inflection of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives for categories such as case and number.
the whole set of inflected forms of such a word, or the recital thereof in a fixed order.
a class of such words having similar sets of inflected forms: the Latin second declension.
an act or instance of declining.
a bending, sloping, or moving downward: land with a gentle declension toward the sea.
deterioration; decline.
deviation, as from a standard.
Origin of declension
1Words Nearby declension
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use declension in a sentence
Nouns of the weak declension have -e in all cases of the singular, -en throughout the 500 plural.
Encouraged by these reflections, a new stock of patience was gathered, and the declension of the sun was viewed with less alarm.
The Deerslayer | James Fenimore CooperThe word Dy, which supplies this declension, is derived from Indyim mine.
Summary Narrative of an Exploratory Expedition to the Sources of the Mississippi River, in 1820 | Henry Rowe SchoolcraftI shall conclude these remarks, with full examples of each pronominal declension.
Summary Narrative of an Exploratory Expedition to the Sources of the Mississippi River, in 1820 | Henry Rowe SchoolcraftWhy this steady declension, with which, considering the character of Cecilia, the court sojourn can have had nothing to do?
The English Novel | George Saintsbury
British Dictionary definitions for declension
/ (dɪˈklɛnʃən) /
grammar
inflection of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives for case, number, and gender
the complete set of the inflections of such a word: "puella" is a first-declension noun in Latin
a decline or deviation from a standard, belief, etc
a downward slope or bend
Origin of declension
1Derived forms of declension
- declensional, adjective
- declensionally, adverb
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
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