declination

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dec·li·na·tion / ˌdekləˈnāshən/ • n. 1. Astron. the angular distance of a point north or south of the celestial equator. Compare with right ascension and celestial latitude. ∎  the angular deviation of a compass needle from true north (because the magnetic north pole and the geographic north pole do not coincide).2. formal refusal. DERIVATIVES: dec·li·na·tion·al / -shənl/ adj.

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