declinate
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does declinate mean? Declinate means having a downward curve or slope. It’s especially used to describe plant parts, such as the petals of a flower. The related word declination can mean a bending or sloping downward. Neither this term nor declinate are commonly used in a general way. Example: This looks like the same kind of flower, but it has declinate petals, whereas the petals of the other one are upturned.
Etymology
Origin of declinate
1800–10; < Latin dēclīnātus, past participle of dēclīnāre. See decline, -ate 1
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.
In the last-mentioned case they are called declinate, as in amaryllis, horse-chestnut and fraxinella.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 5 "Fleury, Claude" to "Foraker" by Various
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