cline

¹

[ klahyn ]

noun

1. Biology. the gradual change in certain characteristics exhibited by members of a series of adjacent populations of organisms of the same species.
2. Linguistics. (in systemic linguistics) a scale of continuous gradation; continuum.

Cline

²

[ klahyn ]

noun

1. Patsy Virginia Patterson Hensley, 1932–63, U.S. country singer.

-cline

¹

combining form

1. indicating a slope

   anticline

cline

²

/ klaɪn /

noun

1. a continuous variation in form between members of a species having a wide variable geographical or ecological range

Cline

³

/ klaɪn /

noun

1. ClinePatsy19321963FUSMUSIC: country singer 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"

cline

/ klīn /

1. 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.

Derived Forms

• -clinal, combining_form:in_adjective
• ˈclinal, adjective
• ˈclinally, adverb

Other Words From

• clinal adjective
• clinal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cline¹

1935–40; < Greek klī́nein to lean ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of cline¹

back formation from incline

Origin of cline²

C20: from Greek klinein to lean

Example Sentences

Lesh kept Terrapin Crossroads as his performing home base through its closure in 2021, stepping aside for various festival appearances with Phil Lesh and Friends, notably joining Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and Nels Cline to play a set as Philco at the Sacred Rose Festival in 2022.

From Los Angeles Times

After the “Rust” screening, EnergaCamerimage will host a panel featuring Souza, as well as one of Hutchins’ mentors, Stephen Lighthill, and the cinematographer who finished the film, Bianca Cline.

From Los Angeles Times

The crash occurred just after 2 a.m. on the northbound side of the freeway near the Sixth Street on-ramp, where a motorist had struck the horse, according to Maggie Cline De La Rosa, a spokeswoman with the Riverside County Fire Department.

From Los Angeles Times

One person in the car was pronounced dead at the scene, while a second person was hospitalized with minor injuries, Cline De La Rosa said.

From Los Angeles Times

It remained unclear how the horse ended up on the freeway, Cline De La Rosa said, adding that the incident is now being investigated by the California Highway Patrol.

From Los Angeles Times