4. Also called: obliquity of the ecliptic astronomy
the angle between the plane of the earth's orbit and that of the celestial equator, equal to approximately 23° 27′ at present
Derived forms
obliquitous (oˈbliquitous)
adjective
obliquity in American English
(əˈblɪkwəti)
nounWord forms: pluralobˈliquities
1.
the state or quality of being oblique
2.
an oblique statement, action, etc.
3.
a turning aside from moral conduct or sound thinking
4. Astronomy
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
5. Ancient Mathematics
a.
deviation of a line or plane from the perpendicular or parallel