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.

---

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

---

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