cline

UK: /'klaɪn/ US: (klīn)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

cline  (klīn), n. 

1. Biology the gradual change in certain characteristics exhibited by members of a series of adjacent populations of organisms of the same species.
2. Linguistics (in systemic linguistics) a scale of continuous gradation;
   continuum.

• Greek klí̄nein to lean¹
• 1935–40

clin′al, adj. 
clin′al•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cline / klaɪn/ noun

1. a continuous variation in form between members of a species having a wide variable geographical or ecological range

Etymology: 20th Century: from Greek klinein to lean

ˈclinal adjective

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Cline / klaɪn/ noun

1. Patsy, original name Virginia Patterson Hensley. 1932–63, US country singer; her bestselling records include "Walking After Midnight", "I Fall to Pieces", and "Leavin' On Your Mind"

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

-cline combining_form:in_noun:countable

1. indicating a slope: anticline

Etymology: back formation from incline

-clinal combining_form:in_adjective