| declension |
| Definition: The modification of pronouns, nouns, and adjectives to show, for example, number and case. Note: This mechanism is crucial in many languages; however, it is not important in English, where word order and prepositional phrases are used instead. |
| Example: Using s to show plural. |
| Etymology: The word ultimately derives from the Latin noun declinatio (from Latin de, from + clinare, to bend). |
| Oxford English Dictionary: The first OED citation for the word in its grammatical sense is from 1565: Substantives may be perceyved by their gender and declenson." (Cooper, Thesaurus, Introduction) |