declining
Meaning
Becoming smaller, fewer, or less; decreasing.
(especially of health) Gradually becoming weaker.
Refusing something politely or formally.
Structure
Usage
The company is facing declining profits this quarter.
She is in declining health and needs constant care.
He is declining all invitations to public events.
Etymology
The word 'declining' originates from the Latin verb declinare, which is a compound of the prefix de- (meaning "down from") and the verb clinare (meaning "to bend" or "to lean"). The literal sense was "to bend down" or "to turn aside." This concrete image evolved in Medieval Latin to signify a metaphorical "turning away" from a course, leading to meanings of polite refusal. The core notion of a downward trajectory was retained and extended to abstract concepts like decreasing numbers or deteriorating health. The present participle suffix -ing was added from Old English, grammaticalizing the state or action into its current adjectival and verbal forms.
Analysis
de: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "down" or "away from". clin: Latin origin (from root clinare, "to bend, lean, incline"). ing: Old English origin, a suffix forming present participles used as adjectives or to indicate continuous action.