DECLENSION

noun Etymology: Middle English declenson, modification of Middle French declinaison, from Latin declination-, declinatio grammatical inflection, turning aside, from declinare to inflect, turn aside Date: 15th century 1. noun, adjective, or pronoun inflection especially in some prescribed order of the forms, a class of nouns or adjectives having the same type of inflectional forms, a falling off or away ; deterioration , descent , slope , ~al adjective