coenocline

C3O1E1N1O1C3L1I1N1E1

noun

A gradient of organisms (typically plants) from the base to the summit of a hill or mountain

OriginAncient Greek κοινός →
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Meanings

nouncoenocline (plural coenoclines)

plural coenoclines

  1. biologyA gradient of organisms (typically plants) from the base to the summit of a hill or mountain
  2. The sequence of natural communities in relation to environmental gradients; the distribution of natural communities in an ecocline.

    The sequence of natural communities in relation to environmental gradients; the distribution of natural communities in an Ecocline (q. v.).

    1962 January 1, Herbert C. Hanson, Dictionary of Ecology, 1st edition, archived from the original on 28 Sep 2007, page 84

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκλίνω“to lean”
  2. Ancient Greekκοινός“common”
  3. Englishcoenocline

From Ancient Greek κοινός (koinós, “common”) plus Ancient Greek κλίνω (klínō, “to lean”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

coenocline. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coenocline

MLA

“coenocline.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coenocline. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “coenocline,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coenocline.

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