declination

noun

• 1 Astronomy the angular distance of a point north or south of the celestial equator: the declination of Arcturus is 19 degrees northCompare with right ascension and celestial latitude.
• the angular deviation of a compass needle from true north (because the magnetic north pole and the geographic north pole do not coincide).

• 2 Linguisticsanother term for downdrift.

• 3US formal refusal: [as modifier]:the mandatory vaccine declination form