declination

/ˌdɛklɪˈneɪʃən/

//ˌdɛklɪˈneɪʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"declination" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“declination” is an uncommon English word, ranked #61,405 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#61,405
frequency rank, English
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - At a given point, the angle between magnetic north and true north.

Key facts for declination
PropertyValue
Headworddeclination
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌdɛklɪˈneɪʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#61,405
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “declination” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). declination lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for declination is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌdɛklɪˈneɪʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #61,405 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for declination in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English declinacioun, borrowed from Middle French declination, from Latin declinatio. Doublet of declension. The correct English form is declination, spelled D-E-C-L-I-N-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    At a given point, the angle between magnetic north and true north.
  2. 2
    At a given point, the angle between the line connecting this point with the geographical center of the earth and the equatorial plane.
  3. 3
    A refusal.
  4. 4
    The gradual decline in the overall fundamental frequency or pitch of speech over the course of an utterance, independent of local variations such as tones and pitch accents.
  5. 5
    Declension.
  6. 6
    The act or state of bending downward; inclination.
  7. 7
    The act or state of falling off or declining from excellence or perfection; deterioration; decay; decline.
  8. 8
    Deviation.

Etymology

From Middle English declinacioun, borrowed from Middle French declination, from Latin declinatio. Doublet of declension.

This word in other languages

déclinaison(Français)Deklination(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "declination"?
"declination" is spelled D-E-C-L-I-N-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌdɛklɪˈneɪʃən/.
What does "declination" mean?
As a noun, "declination" means: At a given point, the angle between magnetic north and true north.
How do you pronounce "declination"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "declination" is /ˌdɛklɪˈneɪʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "declination"?
From Middle English declinacioun, borrowed from Middle French declination, from Latin declinatio. Doublet of declension. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “declination”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-C-L-I-N-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌdɛklɪˈneɪʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list