obliquity

obliquity Definition

ob·liqui·ty (ə blik′wə tē)

noun pl. -·ties

the state or quality of being oblique
an oblique statement, action, etc.
a turning aside from moral conduct or sound thinking
Astron. the angle between the planes of a planet's equator and its orbit about the sun: for the earth (obliquity of the ecliptic) it is currently c. 23° 26.5′ and will decrease at the rate of 0.47″ a year for c. 1,500 years, at which time it will begin to increase again
Math.
1. deviation of a line or plane from the perpendicular or parallel
2. the degree of this

Etymology: ME obliquitee < L obliquitas

obliquity Related Forms

ob·liq′ui·tous adjective

obliquity Usage Examples

Preposition: of

ecliptic: This angle is known as the obliquity of the ecliptic and is about 23.5 degrees.
vision: He can see straight enough for all the apparent obliquity of vision.

Converse of object

change: As far as is known, Robert Plot's idea to measure the changing obliquity from the churchyard at Leek was never carried out.
call: This, incidentally, is the angle ( called the obliquity ) the equator makes with the plane of the Earth's orbit.

Adjective modifier

pelvic: Lay her down and noticed huge scoliosis with pelvic obliquity.
moral: I thought it was desperately funny, and was densely unconscious that there was any moral obliquity about such a publication.

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