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Incline

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to lean or slope; to be disposed to

Where does the word "incline" come from? It comes from Latin inclinare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

inclinare→encliner→incline

Latin · ancient

"to bend toward"

'in-' plus 'clinare', to lean, the root of 'decline' and 'recline'

Old French · medieval

early English also spelled it 'encline'; the railway sense of a slope dates from 1846

English · 1300s

'inclined to agree' dates from the 1400s

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Read the full story

Incline’s story begins in Latin: inclinare meant “to bend toward.” 'in-' plus 'clinare', to lean, the root of 'decline' and 'recline'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as encliner. Early English also spelled it 'encline'; the railway sense of a slope dates from 1846. It reached English by 1300s as incline. 'inclined to agree' dates from the 1400s. Today, incline means to lean or slope; to be disposed to.