Inclinaation

Inclinaation is a noun that denotes the act or result of inclining, leaning, or bending. In standard English, the more common and accepted form is inclination; inclinaation is typically viewed as a nonstandard variant or misspelling. The word derives from the Latin inclinatio, from inclinare “to bend toward.”

General senses of inclination include several related ideas. A physical tilt refers to the angle between a surface, line, or object and a reference plane or axis, describing how steep or slanted something is. A predisposition or tendency refers to a person's inclination to act in a certain way, hold a belief, or prefer a particular outcome. In science and astronomy, inclination specifies the angle between two planes, such as a celestial orbit and a reference plane; orbital inclination is commonly denoted by i.

Measurement of inclination uses angular units such as degrees or radians. Notable examples include the Earth's axial tilt of about 23.5 degrees and the Moon’s orbital inclination to the ecliptic, which is about 5.14 degrees.

Usage note: inclinaation is uncommon in technical or scholarly writing and is often corrected to inclination. Some nonstandard texts or languages may use a related form, but inclination remains the standard term in most contexts.

See also: inclination, tilt, slope, gradient, orbital inclination.