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Added 9 October 2026

decline

/dɪˈklaɪn/ noun

In Latin: abnegō Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about decline at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Change toward something smaller or lower.
A condition inferior to an earlier condition; a gradual falling off from a better state.
A gradual decrease; as of stored charge or current.

verb

Grow worse.
Conditions in the slum worsened
Refuse to accept.
He refused my offer of hospitality
Show unwillingness towards.
he declined to join the group on a hike

Origin

From Middle English declinen, and ultimately Latin declīnō (“to bend, turn aside, deflect, inflect, decline”, from dē- (“down”) + clīnō (“to bend, to incline”)), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱley- (English lean). The senses arrived from two separate pathways in Middle English: * The grammatical sense came from Old English declīnian, which was borrowed directly from the Latin etymon. * All senses except the grammatical sense were derived from those of Old French decliner. Old French itself borrowed the verb from Latin.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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