Neigung

Neigung is a German noun with several related meanings, spanning both physical and figurative uses. Most common is the sense of inclination or tendency: a predisposition or preference for something, often expressed with zu, as in eine Neigung zu Musik or eine Neigung zu Risikoverhalten. This figurative use can describe personality traits, interests, or statistical tendencies.

A second, physical sense refers to tilt or slope. It describes how much a surface or object is inclined relative to a reference plane, such as the ground or horizontal line. Examples include die Neigung des Geländes (the slope of the terrain) or die Neigung eines Daches (the tilt of a roof). In engineering and geology, Neigung is used to denote gradients, with Neigungswinkel (tilt angle) or Hangneigung (slope of a hillside) as common terms.

In scientific and technical contexts, Neigung sometimes overlaps with terms for angle of tilt or inclination. In mathematics, the slope of a line is often called Steigung, though Neigung can appear in older or informal usage. In astronomy and planetary science, the term Inklination or Bahnneigung is used for the orbital tilt of bodies, while axis tilt may be referred to as axiale Neigung or Neigung der Achse.

Etymologically, Neigung derives from the verb neigen, meaning to incline or bow. The word thus captures both physical tilting and a figurative leaning toward particular outcomes or activities.