declination
noun
dec·li·na·tion
ˌde-klə-ˈnā-shən
plural declinations
1
: angular distance north or south from the celestial equator measured along a great circle passing through the celestial poles
2
: a turning aside or swerving
3
: deterioration
moral declination
4
: a bending downward : inclination
5
a
: a formal refusal
b
law
: a decision by a prosecutor not to pursue an indictment
6
: the angle formed between a magnetic needle and the geographical meridian
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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