declination

declination
—declinational, adj.
/dek'leuh nay"sheuhn/, n.
1. a bending, sloping, or moving downward.
2. deterioration; decline.
3. a swerving or deviating, as from a standard.
4. a polite refusal.
5. Astron. 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.
[1350-1400; ME declinacioun < OF declinacion < L declination- (s. of declinatio), equiv. to declinat(us), lit., turned aside (ptp. of declinare; see DECLINE, -ATE1) + -ion- -ION]

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      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 δ (delta).

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Declination — Dec li*na tion, n. [L. declinatio a bending aside, an avoiding: cf. F. d[ e]clination a decadence. See {Declension}.] 1. The act or state of bending downward; inclination; as, declination of the head. [1913 Webster] 2. The act or state of falling …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • déclination — [deklinɑsjɔ̃] n. f. ÉTYM. XIIIe (astron.); déclination, lat. declinatio, du supin de declinare. → Décliner; comparer à déclinaison. ❖ ♦ Rare. 1 Action de décliner. 2 Vx. Pente …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Declination — (v. lat.), 1) Abbeugung, Abneigung, Abweichung; 2) (Gramm.), die Art, wie ein Nomen zur Bezeichnung verschiedener Beziehungen (Casus) abgebeugt (declinirt) wird, wenn es überhaupt beugbar (Declinabile) u. nicht unbeugbar (Indeclinabile) ist, s. u …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • declination — I noun abnegation, denial, disavowal, disclaimer, negation, nonacceptance, noncompliance, nonconsent, refusal, refusal of consent, rejection, renunciation, repudiation, unwillingness II index abandonment (repudiation), abatement (reduction) …   Law dictionary

  • declination — late 14c. as a term in astronomy, from O.Fr. declinacion (Mod.Fr. déclinaison), from L. declinationem (nom. declinatio), noun of action from pp. stem of declinare (see DECLINE (Cf. decline)). It took on various other senses 15c. 17c., most now… …   Etymology dictionary

  • declination — ► NOUN 1) Astronomy the angular distance of a point north or south of the celestial equator. 2) the angular deviation of a compass needle from true north …   English terms dictionary

  • declination — [dek΄lə nā′shən] n. [ME declinacioun < L declinatio: see DECLENSION] 1. a bending or sloping downward; deviation from the horizontal or vertical 2. an oblique variation from some definite direction 3. the angle formed by a magnetic needle with …   English World dictionary

  • Declination — For other uses, see Declination (disambiguation). In astronomy, declination (abbrev. dec or δ) is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. Declination in astronomy is… …   Wikipedia

  • declination — i. The angular difference in direction between magnetic north and true north, or between grid north and true north; hence, magnetic declination and grid declination. ii. The angular distance of a celestial body from the celestial equator along… …   Aviation dictionary

  • declination — noun Etymology: Middle English declinacioun, from Middle French declination, from Latin declination , declinatio angle of the heavens, turning aside Date: 14th century 1. angular distance north or south from the celestial equator measured along a …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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