different between declivity vs precipice

English

Etymology

1610s, from French déclivité, from Latin declivitatem, d?cl?vit?s,from d?clivis (“a sloping downward”), from de (“down”) + cl?vus (“a slope”), from Proto-Indo-European *?leywo-, from Proto-Indo-European *?ley- (“to lean”) (English lean).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??kl?v?ti/

Noun

declivity (plural declivities)

1. (geomorphology) The downward slope of a hill; the downward slope of a curve.
   • 1780, Theodore Augustine Mann, A Treatise on Rivers and Canals, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Volume 69: For the Year 1779, Part II, 582,

     The velocity of flowing waters is very far from being in proportion to the quantity of declivity in their bed: […] .

   • 1809, Alexander Cumming, Observations on the Very Important and Contrary Effects which Carriage Wheels, with Rims of Cylindrical, and of Conical Shape, Have on the Roads, page 30,

     […] whoever takes the trouble of observing how the water runs longitudinally in the ruts on a convex road, although the declivity down the sides be incomparably greater than in the direction which it is compelled to take in the ruts, will soon see the propriety of constructing roads so as to have the water rim length-ways upon them, instead of attempting to gain a declivity, by making it run from the middle to the sides.

   • 1812, John Ainslie, Comprehensive Treatise on Land Surveying, page 117,

     […] a line was measured down the hill on the right of 420, and the angle of declivity is 23°, which shortens the line 33 links; […] .

   • 1908 [Charles Griffin & Company], John Harvard Biles, The Design and Construction of Ships, Volume I: Calculations and Strength, 2009, Europ?ischer Hochschulverlag (Salzwasser-Verlag), page 216,

     The declivity of the keel blocks varies slightly with the size of the vessel. The larger the vessel, the less the declivity.

2. A downward bend in a path.
3. (entomology) An inward curve of the exoskeleton of an insect, such as between body segments; a segment of an insect's body where the exoskeleton curves inward.
   • 1979, Entomology Circular, Issue 200, Part 366, Division of Plant Industry, page number not shown,

     Males of all species have more developed armature of the elytral declivity than females (Figs. S, 6, 8, 9, 11-14).

   • 2000, Barry Bolton, The Ant Tribe Dacetini, Volume 65, Issue 2, American Entomological Institute, page 500,

     Propodeum in profile with upper lobe of declivity elongate and narrow, subspiniform, almost as long as lower lobe.

Related terms

• declivital; acclivity

Translations

See also

• decline

References

English

Alternative forms

• præcipice (archaic)

Etymology

First attested in 1598, from Middle French precipice, from Latin praecipitium (“a steep place”), from praeceps (“steep”), from prae + caput (“head”). First meaning of the noun is recorded from 1632.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p??s?p?s/
• (weak vowel merger) IPA^(key): /?p??s.?.p?s/
• Hyphenation: preci?pice

Noun

precipice (plural precipices)

1. A very steep cliff.
   • 1719- Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe

     I resolved to remove my tent from the place where it stood, which was just under the hanging precipice of the hill; and which, if it should be shaken again, would certainly fall upon my tent...

2. The brink of a dangerous situation.

   to stand on a precipice

3. (obsolete) A headlong fall or descent.

Synonyms

• cliff
• cliffdrop

Related terms

• precipitous
• precipitously
• precipitousness

Translations

Middle French

Noun

precipice m (plural precipices)

1. precipice (steep cliff)