clinal en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈklaɪnəl/
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- Proto-Indo-European *-éyti Proto-Indo-European *ḱley- Proto-Indo-European *-né- Proto-Indo-European *ḱl̥néyti Proto-Hellenic *klíňňō Ancient Greek κλῑ́νω (klī́nō) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-ā́ Ancient Greek -ᾱ (-ā) Ancient Greek -η (-ē) Ancient Greek κλίνη (klínē) English -al English clinal From Ancient Greek κλίνη (klínē, “bed”) + English -al.
Meanings
-
(not-comparable) Pertaining to beds or rest.
‘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.’
1984, Anthony Burgess, Enderby's Dark Lady:
- (not-comparable, physical) Describing a torsion angle between 30° and 150°