cline

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cline

 (klīn)
n.
A gradual change in a character or feature across the distributional range of a species or population, usually correlated with an environmental or geographic transition.

[From Greek klīnein, to lean; see klei- in Indo-European roots.]

clin′al (klī′nəl) adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cline

(klaɪn)
n
(Environmental Science) a continuous variation in form between members of a species having a wide variable geographical or ecological range
[C20: from Greek klinein to lean]
ˈclinal adj
ˈclinally adv

Cline

(klaɪn)
n
(Biography) Patsy, original name Virginia Patterson Hensley. 1932–63, US country singer; her bestselling records include "Walking After Midnight", "I Fall to Pieces", and "Leavin' On Your Mind"
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cline

(klaɪn)

n.
the gradual change in certain characteristics exhibited by members of a series of adjacent populations of organisms of the same species.
[1935–40; < Greek klinein to lean1]
clin′al, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.cline - American geneticist who succeeded in transferring a functioning gene from one mouse to another (born in 1934)Cline - American geneticist who succeeded in transferring a functioning gene from one mouse to another (born in 1934)
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
References in periodicals archive ?
Most of the exceptions were for West Coast mussels, where some runs tests were significant, indicating a degree of regional coherency and agreeing with the tendency for West Coast bays to cluster clinally, but which failed to generate a strong enough signal to be identified in PCA.
For instance, research on the inversion polymorphisms of Drosophila subobscura demonstrated that these vary clinally along this species' entire native Palearctic range.
The proportion of yearling male Black-throated Blue Warblers in population samples appears to increase clinally from the Appalachian axis (from Georgia to New Hampshire) outward to the northern and northwestern margins of the species' breeding range.