declension

de·clen·sion  (d-klnshn)

n.

1. Linguistics

a. In certain languages, the inflection of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives in categories such as case, number, and gender.

b. A class of words of one language with the same or a similar system of inflections, such as the first declension in Latin.

2. A descending slope; a descent.

3. A decline or decrease; deterioration: "States and empires have their periods of declension" (Laurence Sterne).

4. A deviation, as from a standard or practice.

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[Middle English declenson, from Old French declinaison, from Latin dclnti, dclntin-, grammatical declension, declination; see declination.]

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de·clension·al adj.

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declension

Noun

Grammar changes in the form of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives to show case, number, and gender [Latin declinatio a bending aside, hence variation]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	declension - the inflection of nouns and pronouns and adjectives in Indo-European languages noun - the word class that can serve as the subject or object of a verb, the object of a preposition, or in apposition inflection, inflexion - a change in the form of a word (usually by adding a suffix) to indicate a change in its grammatical function
	2.	declension - process of changing to an inferior state decline in quality, worsening, deterioration decline, diminution - change toward something smaller or lower drop-off, falling off, falloff, slump, slack - a noticeable deterioration in performance or quality; "the team went into a slump"; "a gradual slack in output"; "a drop-off in attendance"; "a falloff in quality"
	3.	declension - a downward slope or bend declivity, downslope, declination, 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)
	4.	declension - a class of nouns or pronouns or adjectives in Indo-European languages having the same (or very similar) inflectional forms; "the first declension in Latin" category, class, family - a collection of things sharing a common attribute; "there are two classes of detergents"