English Reference
noun · verb · adjective

slant

n. · v. · adj.
US /ˈsɫænt/ UK /slˈɑːnt/ slant UK spelling slants

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.a surface or line that is not level or straight; a slope.

    n.a physical incline or sloped surface that deviates from the horizontal or vertical.

    Simple

    The roof has a steep slant to help the snow slide off easily.

    In context

    The architect designed the floor with a subtle slant toward the central drain to prevent water from pooling after cleaning.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.a particular way of looking at something or telling a story that might be biased.

    n.a subjective point of view or a specific bias in the presentation of information.

    Simple

    The newspaper gave a political slant to the story about the new tax.

    In context

    Critics argued that the documentary had a clear ideological slant, omitting key facts that contradicted the director's personal thesis.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical

    n.the punctuation mark / used to separate words or numbers.

    n.a typographical symbol, also known as a slash, used to indicate alternatives or to separate components in a path or date.

    Simple

    You need to put a slant between the day and the month in the date.

    In context

    The style guide requires a slant to be used when presenting phonological transcriptions to distinguish them from orthographic text.

    slashsolidusvirgule
  4. 04 C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    n.a tube of jelly used in science that has been cooled at an angle to create a larger surface.

    n.a growth medium in a test tube that has been solidified while the tube was tilted to provide a greater surface area for aerobic growth.

    Simple

    The scientist inoculated the agar slant with the bacteria sample.

    In context

    The laboratory technician prepared several nutrient agar slants to ensure sufficient surface area for the cultivation of the fungal colonies.

    agar slant
  5. 05 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.to lean or tilt in a particular direction.

    v.to lean, incline, or slope away from a direct line or level.

    Simple

    The sunlight slants through the window in the late afternoon.

    In context

    As the sun began to set, the shadows started to slant across the valley, stretching toward the eastern ridges.

  6. 06 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.describing something that is at an angle; not straight up or flat.

    adj.positioned in a sloping or oblique direction.

    Simple

    She wrote the address in slant handwriting that was hard to read.

    In context

    The geologist noted the slant rock formations, which indicated significant tectonic activity in the region's distant past.

  7. 07 C2 Proficiency VulgarSlang

    n.a very rude and offensive word for a person from East Asia.

    n.a highly offensive and derogatory ethnic slur directed at individuals of East Asian descent.

    Simple

    The movie was criticized for using a cruel slant to describe the character.

    In context

    The use of the term 'slant' in the historical document highlights the pervasive xenophobia of that particular era.

    Usage

    This term is considered a racial slur and is extremely offensive.

    Teacher's tip

    Learners should be aware of this word only to recognize its offensive nature; it should never be used in polite or professional conversation.


Late Middle English, from a variant of the earlier form dialectal slent, from Old Norse or another North Germanic source, cognate with Old Norse slent, Swedish slinta (“to slip”), Norwegian slenta (“to fall on the side”), from Proto-Germanic *slintaną. Probably influenced by aslant.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin gem-pro *slintaną
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated