reclined

Reclined is the past tense and past participle of the verb recline, meaning to lean or lie back so that the chest and head are supported by the back. It can describe a person or object in a backward-leaning posture, as in “She reclined in the chair” or “The reclined seat offered more comfort.” The word can also function as an adjective, as in “a reclined position” or “the reclined chair.”

Etymology: Recline comes from Latin reclinare, from re- “back” + clinare “to incline, bend.” It entered English via Old French and Middle English, with “reclined” appearing in the early modern period. The form is now common in discussions of seating, posture, and ergonomics.

Usage notes: Intransitive use describes the act of assuming a reclining position (“She tends to recline when reading”), while transitive use describes causing something to lean back (“He reclined the chair”). The related noun “recliner” denotes a chair designed to recline, and “reclining” serves as a present participle. The term is also used in medical contexts to describe a “reclined position,” sometimes for procedures or comfort.