What does slope mean?
A slope is an incline: a line, surface, or stretch of land that rises or falls at an angle rather than remaining level. The word can refer to the inclined feature itself, as in “the hillside has a steep slope,” or to its steepness, as in “the slope of the path is gentle.” In this sense, slope is useful in geography, architecture, engineering, and everyday description, where the degree and direction of an incline matter. As a verb, slope means to lean or incline, or to move gradually downward or upward. It can describe a damaged structure, a hillside, or a person’s posture, though descriptions such as “sloped roof” and “sloping ground” are especially common. The expression “slippery slope” extends the literal idea metaphorically to a sequence of decisions or events that seems difficult to stop once it has begun.
An inclined surface, especially a piece of land that rises or falls at an angle; also, the degree of inclination of a surface.
"The path climbs the steep slope behind the village."
Usually used for a noticeable incline, whether natural or constructed. In technical contexts, gradient may be more precise.
To incline, lean, or descend at an angle; to move or lie at a slant.
"The road slopes gently toward the coast."
Common in descriptions of roads, land, roofs, and objects that are not level. It can also imply that something declines or becomes less stable.
The plural is used for individual inclined surfaces or areas of land, and for changes in inclination.
"The slopes of the valley are covered with pine trees."
A slope can be a natural feature, an architectural feature, or an argument: the metaphor of a 'slippery slope' describes a chain of events leading toward an undesirable outcome.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of slope
The word slope comes from Middle English slope, used for an inclined surface or a downward movement, and continues an older Germanic word represented in forms such as Dutch slopen, “to decline or descend.” Its precise ancient origins are not entirely certain, and the development of its modern meanings reflects both the physical idea of an incline and the broader sense of moving downward or declining. The related word slipperiness in the familiar expression slippery slope is unrelated to the verb slip.
Related word forms
How slope is actually used
As a noun, slope commonly describes a naturally or artificially inclined surface and is often used with modifiers such as steep, gentle, or gradual. As a verb, it usually describes a surface, object, or movement that is inclined; it is less common in formal mathematical usage than gradient or incline. The standard pronunciation is /sloʊp/ in US English and /sləʊp/ in British English.
Easily confused with slope
A slope is an inclined surface or gradient, whereas a slip is an unexpected downward movement or a small object on which someone slides.