Etymology of the English word decline
the English word
declinederived from the Latin word
declinare (avoid, stray; vary; decline, conjugate, inflect; deflect, divert, turnaside)
using the Late Latin prefix
de-derived from the Latin word
de (away; down)
derived from the Latin word
clinare (incline, slope; bend)
derived from the Greek word
klinein, κλίνω
derived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*klei-derived from the Old French word
declinerDate
The earliest known usage of decline in English dates from the 14th century.
Derivations in English
declined,
decliningCognates
Dutch
declineren, French
décliner, French
decliner, German
deklinieren, Italian
declinare, Latin
declinare, Norwegian
deklinere, Spanish
declinar, Swedish
deklineraUsage
Word found in Modern English
