clinal

clinal

See also: -clinal

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈklaɪnəl/
  • Rhymes: -aɪnəl

Etymology 1

    From Ancient Greek κλίνη (klínē, bed) + English -al.

    Adjective

    clinal (not comparable)

    1. Pertaining to beds or rest.
      • 1984, Anthony Burgess, Enderby's Dark Lady:
        ‘Strange,’ Enderby said. ‘Here we both are, in a clinal situation so to speak, a bed context I mean, the Greek word means to lean or repose I suppose, hence bed, hence clinic by the way, and this has nothing to do with my feverish imaginings.’
    2. (physical chemistry) Describing a torsion angle between 30° and 150°

    Etymology 2

      From cline + -al.

      Adjective

      clinal (not comparable)

      1. Pertaining to a cline.
        • 1994, Anders P Moller, Sexual Selection and the Barn Swallow, Oxford, published 2000, page 299:
          Clinal variation in the size of the secondary sexual character may be due to the effects of the Fisher or the handicap process.
      Derived terms

      Anagrams

      Spanish

      Adjective

      clinal m or f (masculine and feminine plural clinales)

      1. clinal