dec·li·na·tion

(dĕk′lə-nā′shən)

1. A sloping or bending downward.

2. A falling off, especially from prosperity or vigor; a decline.

3. A deviation, as from a specific direction or standard.

4. A refusal to accept.

6. Astronomy The angular distance to a point on a celestial object, measured north (in positive degrees) or south (in negative degrees) from the celestial equator.

[Middle English declinacioun, from Old French declination, from Latin dēclīnātiō, dēclīnātiōn-, from dēclīnātus, past participle of dēclīnāre, to turn away; see decline.]

dec′li·na′tion·al adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

declination

(ˌdɛklɪˈneɪʃən)

1. (Astronomy) astronomy the angular distance, esp in degrees, of a star, planet, etc, from the celestial equator measured north (positive) or south (negative) along the great circle passing through the celestial poles and the body. Symbol: δ Compare: right ascension

2. (Navigation) See magnetic declination

3. a refusal, esp a courteous or formal one

ˌdecliˈnational adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

dec•li•na•tion

(ˌdɛk ləˈneɪ ʃən)

n.

1. a bending, sloping, or moving downward.

2. deterioration.

3. deviation, as from a standard.

4. a polite refusal.

5. the angular distance of a heavenly body from the celestial equator, measured on the great circle passing through the celestial pole and the body.

6. variation (def. 8).

[1350–1400; declinacioun < Old French declinacion < Latin dēclīnātiō <dēclīnā(re) (see decline)]

dec·li·na·tion

(dĕk′lə-nā′shən)

The position of a celestial object above or below the celestial equator. It is measured as a vertical angle, from 0° at the celestial equator to 90° at one of the celestial poles. Declination and right ascension are the measurements used to map objects on the celestial sphere. See more at celestial sphere, See magnetic declination.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

declination

The angular distance to a body on the celestial sphere measured north or south through 90 degrees from the celestial equator along the hour circle of the body. Comparable to latitude on the terrestrial sphere. See also magnetic declination; magnetic variation.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

declination

A star’s angular distance in degrees N or S of the celestial equator. Equivalent to the Earth’s latitude.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	declination - a condition inferior to an earlier condition; a gradual falling off from a better state decline condition, status - a state at a particular time; "a condition (or state) of disrepair"; "the current status of the arms negotiations" disuse, neglect - the state of something that has been unused and neglected; "the house was in a terrible state of neglect" twilight - a condition of decline following successes; "in the twilight of the empire" wreck - something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation; "the house was a wreck when they bought it"; "thanks to that quack I am a human wreck"
	2.	declination - a downward slope or bend declivity, downslope, declension, decline, fall, descent downhill - the downward slope of a hill incline, slope, side - an elevated geological formation; "he climbed the steep slope"; "the house was built on the side of a mountain" steep - a steep place (as on a hill)
	3.	declination - (astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial body north or to the south of the celestial equator; expressed in degrees; used with right ascension to specify positions on the celestial sphere celestial latitude, dec astronomy, uranology - the branch of physics that studies celestial bodies and the universe as a whole angular distance - the angular separation between two objects as perceived by an observer; "he recorded angular distances between the stars"
	4.	declination - a polite refusal of an invitation regrets acknowledgement, acknowledgment - a statement acknowledging something or someone; "she must have seen him but she gave no sign of acknowledgment"; "the preface contained an acknowledgment of those who had helped her" refusal - a message refusing to accept something that is offered

declination

noun

1. Descent to a lower level or condition:

atrophy, decadence, declension, decline, degeneracy, degeneration, deterioration.

2. A marked loss of strength or effectiveness:

decline, deterioration, failure.

Translations

dec·li·na·tion

n. declinación.

1. rotación del ojo;

2. declive, descenso.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

I knew two, that were competitors for the secretary's place in Queen Elizabeth's time, and yet kept good quarter between themselves; and would confer, one with another, upon the business; and the one of them said, That to be a secretary, in the declination of a monarchy, was a ticklish thing, and that he did not affect it: the other straight caught up those words, and discoursed with divers of his friends, that he had no reason to desire to be secretary, in the declination of a monarchy.

View in context

The sun rose in the undoubted east and set in the undoubted west, corrected and proved, of course, by declination, deviation, and variation; and the nightly march of the stars and constellations proceeded across the sky.

View in context

But, in order that the moon should reach the zenith of a given place, it is necessary that the place should not exceed in latitude the declination of the luminary; in other words, it must be comprised within the degrees 0@ and 28@ of lat.

View in context

The sun, going into northern declination, was straight overhead.

View in context

And these seem chiefly to be two, as they say, of the winds: namely, the north and the south; and all the others are declinations from these.

View in context

As the magnetic field changes all the time, so does declination at any given location.

Pointing the right direction at last

Based on the wording and intent of such laws, there are certain criteria all claim declination and reservation of rights letters should and should not include.

Resolving Claim Disputes: Step 0

North Wales scientists have now shown that at least one species of migratory bird, the reed warbler, can sense declination and use the information to plot its longitudinal point on Earth.

Migrating birds show sixth sense on direction

Both define variation as the difference between true north and magnetic north and declination as the "angular distance of a celestial body north or south of the equator measured along the hour angle of the body."

"Seeing double" double take

Airflow conservation then invites vocal tract shapes that increase inertance, and therewith maximum flow declination rate, so that acoustic output power is increased.

On flow phonation and airflow management

This sundial also has two intermediate declination lines between the solstices and equinoxes, but the hour lines are no longer parallel because the sundial plane is not parallel to the Earth's rotation axis.

The Swallow Park sundials