Etymology From Ancient Greek κλίνη (klínē, “bed”) + English -al.
1
Pertaining to beds or rest.
‘Strange,’ Enderby said. ‘Here we both are, in a clinal situation so to speak, a bed context I mean, the Greek word means to lean or repose I suppose, hence bed, hence clinic by the way, and this has nothing to do with my feverish imaginings.’1984, Anthony Burgess, Enderby's Dark Lady:
2
Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciencesPhysical Describing a torsion angle between 30° and 150°
clinal
adj
Etymology From cline + -al.
1
Pertaining to a cline.
Clinal variation in the size of the secondary sexual character may be due to the effects of the Fisher or the handicap process.1994, Anders P Moller, Sexual Selection and the Barn Swallow, Oxford, published 2000, page 299: