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Decline: meaning, definitions and examples

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decline

 

[ dɪˈklaɪn ]

Verb / Noun
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Verb

grammar

To inflect or change the form of a word to indicate number, gender, case, or person. In English, verbs decline to show tense, person, number, and mood.

Synonyms

change form, conjugate, inflect

Examples of usage

  • In Latin, verbs decline based on the number and person of the subject.
  • The teacher asked the students to decline the noun 'puella'.
Context #2 | Noun

economics

A decrease or reduction in the value or quantity of something. It can refer to a decline in the stock market, economy, or overall performance.

Synonyms

decrease, downturn, reduction

Examples of usage

  • The decline in oil prices affected the country's economy.
  • There has been a decline in sales this quarter.

Translations

Translations of the word "decline" in other languages:

🇵🇹 declínio

🇮🇳 अस्वीकार

🇩🇪 Ablehnung

🇮🇩 penurunan

🇺🇦 відмова

🇵🇱 odmowa

🇯🇵 減少 (げんしょう)

🇫🇷 déclin

🇪🇸 declive

🇹🇷 düşüş

🇰🇷 감소

🇸🇦 انحدار

🇨🇿 pokles

🇸🇰 pokles

🇨🇳 下降 (xiàjiàng)

🇸🇮 upad

🇮🇸 hnignun

🇰🇿 төмендеу

🇬🇪 დაეცემა

🇦🇿 azalma

🇲🇽 declive

Etymology

The word 'decline' originated from the Old French word 'decliner', which came from the Latin 'declinare', meaning 'to turn aside, avoid, deviate'. The sense of 'move downward, sink' appeared in English in the late 14th century, while the meaning 'refuse, refuse politely' emerged in the early 15th century. Over time, 'decline' has evolved to encompass various meanings related to decrease, reduction, and inflection.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,170, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.