clivus

cli·vus
C3L1I1V4U1S1
/ˈklaɪvəs/

noun

Part of the cranium at the skull base, a shallow depression behind the dorsum sellae that slopes obliquely backward.

OriginLatin clīvus →
Scrabble 11
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Meanings

nounclivus (plural clivi)

plural clivi

  1. anatomyPart of the cranium at the skull base, a shallow depression behind the dorsum sellae that slopes obliquely backward.
  2. historicalA road ascending a slope in Ancient Rome.

Origin

  1. Latinclīvus“slope, hill”
  2. Englishclivus

Derived from Latin clīvus (“slope, hill”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

clivus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clivus

MLA

“clivus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clivus. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “clivus,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clivus.

Source: clivus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.