declivitous

D2E1C3L1I1V4I1T1O1U1S1
/dɪˈklɪ.vɪ.təs/

adjective

Descending gradually; sloping; downhill.

Similar
downhilldownward-slopingdescending
Scrabble 17

Meanings

adjectivedeclivitous (comparative more declivitous, superlative most declivitous)

comparative more declivitous · superlative most declivitous · alternative declivous

  1. Descending gradually; sloping; downhill.

    The forest covers a declivitous slope, at an elevation of about 5,000 feet, and extends to the verge of the steep descent into the table-land of Wynaad.

    1859, Clements R. Markham, “On the Introduction of the Cinchona Plant into India”, in Transactions of the Medical and Physical Society of Bombay, page 352
    2 more examples

    Where the ground is declivitous, it is requisite that the hole should be deeper, in addition to which it should be artificially elevated on the edge of the lower side.

    1855, Pliny (the Elder.), The Natural History of Pliny - Volume 3, page 501

    Hypostomal tooth-like projection present adjacent to the ventral surface of mandibular insertions; declivitous face of propodeum strongly concave in profile, and meeting the basal face to form a conspicuous, narrow convexity or sharp angle projecting rear-ward; scale of petiole erect.

    1990, Bert Hölldobler, Edward O. Wilson, The Ants, page 67
  2. At lower levels; lowly.

    I, for one, and certainly Aera, do not feel declivitous.

    2011, Kyle Lance Proudfoot, The Black Dungeon Doorway, page 68
    2 more examples

    In France, Savoy, and the Southern Low Countries the structure of lordship was declivitous during the eleventh , twelfth , and thirteenth centuries; in other words, seigneurial rights and obligations were greater at lower levels of the hierarchy .

    1995, Samuel Clark, State and Status, page 149

    The initial recesses of the pleural cavity filled with blood effusion are declivitous; they can vary according to the decubitus, whereas, with the progressive filling of the pleural cavity, blood is invariably collected in the lateral pleural spaces over the apex of the lung (apical cap): they are very large pleural effusions, in the order of about 800-1200 cc.

    2016, Mariano Scaglione, Ulrich Linsenmaier, Gerd Schueller, Emergency Radiology of the Chest and Cardiovascular System

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivesloping down rather steeply

Similar
downhilldownward-slopingdescending

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latindeclivus“sloping down”
  2. Englishdeclivitous

Latin declivus (“sloping down”), from de- (“down from”) + clivus (“slope”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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