declination

[dek-luh-ney-shuh n] /ˌdɛk ləˈneɪ ʃən/
noun
1.
a bending, sloping, or moving downward.
2.
deterioration; decline.
3.
a swerving or deviating, as from a standard.
4.
a polite refusal.
5.
Astronomy. 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).
7.
the formal refusal by a nominee of a nomination to public office.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English declinacioun < Old French declinacion < Latin dēclīnātiōn- (stem of dēclīnātiō), equivalent to dēclīnāt(us), literally, turned aside (past participle of dēclīnāre; see decline, -ate1) + -iōn- -ion
Related forms
declinational, adjective
predeclination, noun
Examples from the web for declination
  • The degree of difference between the position of these two poles when seen at various locations is called magnetic declination.
  • declination, cancellation, and nonrenewal of property and casualty insurance.
British Dictionary definitions for declination

declination

/ˌdɛklɪˈneɪʃən/
noun
1.
(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 δ Compare right ascension
2.
See magnetic declination
3.
a refusal, esp a courteous or formal one
Derived Forms
declinational, adjective
Word Origin and History for declination
n.

late 14c. as a term in astronomy, from Old French declinacion (Modern French déclinaison), from Latin declinationem (nominative declinatio), noun of action from past participle stem of declinare (see decline). It took on various other senses 15c.-17c., most now obsolete.

declination in Medicine

declination dec·li·na·tion (děk'lə-nā'shən)
n.

  1. A bending, sloping, or other deviation from a normal vertical position.

  2. A deviation of the vertical meridian of the eye to one or the other side due to rotation of the eyeball about its anteroposterior axis.

declination in Science
declination
  (děk'lə-nā'shən)   

  1. On the celestial sphere, the position of a celestial object north or south of the celestial equator. Declination is measured in degrees along a great circle drawn through the object being measured and the north and south celestial poles, with positive values north of the celestial equator and negative values south of it, so that the equator itself is 0° and the north and south celestial poles are +90° and -90° declination respectively. See more at equatorial coordinate system.

  2. See magnetic declination.


Encyclopedia Article for declination

in astronomy, the angular distance of a body north or south of the celestial equator. Declination and right ascension, an east-west coordinate, together define the position of an object in the sky. North declination is considered positive and south, negative. Thus, +90 declination marks the north celestial pole, 0 the celestial equator, and -90 the south celestial pole. The usual symbol for declination is the lowercase Greek letter delta (delta).

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