Plural of clivus (modern English form); slopes or inclines, especially the sloping bone surface at the base of the skull.
From Latin clivus meaning 'slope' + English plural -es. Modern English prefers 'clivuses' over the Latin plural 'clivis.'
English speakers constantly choose between Latin and English plurals—'clivuses' feels modern while 'clivis' feels old-fashioned, showing how English gradually abandoned Latin forms as it became more self-confident.
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