An instrument for measuring the inclination or slope of surfaces, particularly used in geology and surveying to determine angle of slope.
From Greek 'kline' (slope) plus '-meter' (measure). This specialized surveying instrument combines the slope measurement concept with standard measuring terminology.
Nobody really uses 'cliseometer' anymore—surveyors switched to 'clinometer' because it's shorter and easier to say, but this shows how scientific language is always in competition with itself, with shorter synonyms gradually killing off the longer versions.
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