OBLIQUITY


Meaning of OBLIQUITY in English

-wəd.ē, -ətē, -i noun

( -es )

Etymology: Middle English obliquitee, from Middle French obliquité, from Latin obliquitat-, obliquitas, from obliquus oblique + -itat-, -itas -ity — more at oblique

1.

a. : deviation from moral rectitude or sound thinking

b. obsolete : deviation from ordinary rules

2.

a.

(1) : the quality or state of being oblique : deviation from parallelism or perpendicularity

(2) : the amount of such deviation : divergence

b. or obliquity of the ecliptic : the angle between the planes of the earth's equator and orbit having a mean value of 23°26′40″.16 in 1960 and diminishing 0″.47 per year

3.

a. : indirectness or deliberate obscurity of speech or conduct

b. : an obscure or confusing statement

hiding their thoughts behind such obliquities

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.