Cline

Pronunciation

• IPA: /klaɪn/
• Rhymes: -aɪn

Origin

From Ancient Greek κλίνειν (klínein, "to lean, incline") (from which also climate), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱley- (English lean).

Full definition of cline

Noun

1. (biology) A gradation in a character or phenotype within a species or other group.
2. Any graduated continuum.
• 2005, Ronnie Cann, Ruth Kempson and Lutz Marten, The Dynamics of Language, an Introduction, p. 412This account effectively reconstructs the well-known grammaticalisation cline from anaphora to agreement, …

Derived terms

• clinal

Related terms

• climate
• clinic
• lean