inclination

[in-kluh-ney-shuh n] /ˌɪn kləˈneɪ ʃən/
noun
1.
a disposition or bent, especially of the mind or will; a liking or preference:
Much against his inclination, he was forced to resign.
2.
something to which one is inclined:
In sports his inclination is tennis.
3.
the act of inclining; state of being inclined.
4.
a tendency toward a certain condition, action, etc.:
the door's inclination to stick.
5.
deviation or amount of deviation from a normal, especially horizontal or vertical, direction or position.
6.
an inclined surface.
7.
Geometry.
  1. the angle between two lines or two planes.
  2. the angle formed by the x-axis and a given line.
8.
Astronomy.
  1. the angle between the orbital plane of a planet and another given plane, usually the ecliptic.
  2. the angle between the equatorial and orbital planes of a planet.
9.
Magnetism. dip (def 32).
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English inclinacioun < Latin inclīnātiōn- (stem of inclīnātiō), equivalent to inclīnāt(us) past participle of inclīnāre (see incline, -ate1) + -iōn- -ion
Related forms
inclinational, adjective
noninclination, noun
noninclinational, adjective
overinclination, noun
superinclination, noun
Synonyms
1. leaning, tendency; propensity, proclivity, predilection, predisposition, penchant. 5, 6. slope, slant, rise, fall, grade, pitch. 6. ramp.
Antonyms
1. dislike.
Examples from the web for inclination
  • In the realist viewpoint, the tendency toward self-help outweighs any inclination to selflessly improve the world.
  • They can sense the field's inclination, or the angle at which it dips towards the surface.
  • The natural inclination was to expect the workers to haul as much as they could carry and to go as fast as they could walk.
  • Declination adjustable and even includes an inclination scale.
  • It's our natural inclination to try and make a frightened dog feel safe.
  • The inclination now is more toward emphatic self-promotion.
  • At the same time, my inclination would have been to fine-tune the microprocessor business.
  • Quite the contrary-they are symptoms of our inclination to play it safe.
  • And few of those left behind in the ghetto have the skills or the inclination.
  • They are independent by heritage and anti-establishment by inclination.
British Dictionary definitions for inclination

inclination

/ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən/
noun
1.
often foll by for, to, towards, or an infinitive. a particular disposition, esp a liking or preference; tendency: I've no inclination for such dull work
2.
the degree of deviation from a particular plane, esp a horizontal or vertical plane
3.
a sloping or slanting surface; incline
4.
the act of inclining or the state of being inclined
5.
the act of bowing or nodding the head
6.
(maths)
  1. the angle between a line on a graph and the positive limb of the x-axis
  2. the smaller dihedral angle between one plane and another
7.
(astronomy) the angle between the plane of the orbit of a planet or comet and another plane, usually that of the ecliptic
8.
(physics) another name for dip (sense 28)
Derived Forms
inclinational, adjective
Word Origin and History for inclination
n.

"condition of being mentally disposed" (to do something), late 14c., from Middle French inclination (14c.) and directly from Latin inclinationem (nominative inclinatio) "a leaning, bending," figuratively "tendency, bias, favor," noun of action from past participle stem of inclinare (see incline). Meaning "action of bending toward" (something) is from early 15c. That of "amount of a slope" is from 1799.

inclination in Medicine

inclination in·cli·na·tion (ĭn'klə-nā'shən)
n.

  1. A deviation or the degree of deviation from the horizontal or vertical; a slant.

  2. The deviation of the long axis of a tooth from perpendicular.

  3. A tendency toward a certain condition or character.

  4. A characteristic disposition to do, prefer, or favor one thing rather than another; a propensity.

inclination in Science
inclination
  (ĭn'klə-nā'shən)   
A deviation or the degree of deviation from the horizontal or vertical.