Declivity

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Declivity \De*cliv"i*ty\, n.; pl. {Declivities}. [L. declivitas,
     fr. declivis sloping, downhill; de + clivus a slope, a hill;
     akin to clinare to incline: cf. F. d['e]clivit['e]. See
     {Decline}.]
     1. Deviation from a horizontal line; gradual descent of
        surface; inclination downward; slope; -- opposed to


        acclivity, or ascent; the same slope, considered as
        descending, being a declivity, which, considered as
        ascending, is an acclivity.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A descending surface; a sloping place.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Commodious declivities and channels for the passage
              of the waters.                        --Derham.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  declivity
       n : a downward slope or bend [syn: {descent}, {fall}, {decline},
            {declination}, {declension}, {downslope}] [ant: {ascent}]