Dictionary
degree
noun de·gree \di-ˈgrē\
: a unit for measuring temperature
: a unit for measuring the size of an angle
: an amount or level that can be measured or compared to another amount or level
Full Definition of DEGREE
1
: a step or stage in a process, course, or order of classification <advanced by degrees>
2
a : a rank or grade of official, ecclesiastical, or social position <people of low degree> b archaic : a particular standing especially as to dignity or worth c : the civil condition or status of a person
3
: a step in a direct line of descent or in the line of ascent to a common ancestor
5
: a measure of damage to tissue caused by injury or disease — compare first-degree burn, second-degree burn, third-degree burn
6
a : the extent, measure, or scope of an action, condition, or relation <different in degree but not in kind> b : relative intensity <a high degree of stress> c : one of the forms or sets of forms used in the comparison of an adjective or adverb d : a legal measure of guilt or negligence <found guilty of robbery in the first degree>
7
a : a title conferred on students by a college, university, or professional school on completion of a program of study b : a grade of membership attained in a ritualistic order or society c : an academic title conferred to honor distinguished achievement or service d : the formal ceremonies observed in the conferral of such a distinction
8
: a unit of measure for angles equal to an angle with its vertex at the center of a circle and its sides cutting off 1⁄360 of the circumference; also : a unit of measure for arcs of a circle equal to the amount of arc that subtends a central angle of one degree
9
archaic : a position or space on the earth or in the heavens as measured by degrees of latitude
10
a : a step, note, or tone of a musical scale b : a line or space of the musical staff
11
: one of the divisions or intervals marked on a scale of a measuring instrument; specifically : any of various units for measuring temperature
12
a : the sum of the exponents of the variables in the term of highest degree in a polynomial, polynomial function, or polynomial equation b : the sum of the exponents of the variable factors of a monomial c : the greatest power of the derivative of highest order in a differential equation after the equation has been rationalized and cleared of fractions with respect to the derivative
— de·greed \-ˈgrēd\ adjective
— to a degree
1
: to a remarkable extent : exceedingly <I felt desolate to a degree — Charlotte Brontë>
2
: in a small way <to a degree he succeeded>
See degree defined for English-language learners
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Illustration of DEGREE
Origin of DEGREE
Middle English, from Anglo-French degré, from Vulgar Latin *degradus, from Latin de- + gradus
First Known Use: 13th century
Rhymes with DEGREE
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DEGREE Defined for Kids
degree
noun de·gree \di-ˈgrē\
Definition of DEGREE for Kids
1
: a step in a series <His health improved by degrees.>
2
: amount of something as measured by a series of steps <a high degree of progress>
3
: one of the three forms an adjective or adverb may have when it is compared
4
: a title given (as to students) by a college or university <She received a degree of doctor of medicine.>
5
: one of the divisions marked on a measuring instrument (as a thermometer)
6
: a 360th part of the circumference of a circle
7
: a line or space of the staff in music or the difference in pitch between two notes
Word Root of DEGREE
The Latin word gradus, meaning “step” or “degree,” gives us the root grad. Words from the Latin gradus have something to do with steps. Anything gradual happens slowly one step at a time. To degrade is to reduce from a higher to a lower degree. A grade is a step in school made up of one year of work. Even the word degree itself has gradus as its root.
Medical Dictionary
degree
noun de·gree \di-ˈgrē\
Medical Definition of DEGREE
1
: a measure of damage to tissue caused by injury or disease—see first-degree burn, second-degree burn, third-degree burn
2
a : a title conferred on students by a college, university, or professional school on completion of a unified program of study b : an academic title conferred honorarily
3
: one of the divisions or intervals marked on a scale of a measuring instrument; specifically : any of various units for measuring temperature
4
: a 360th part of the circumference of a circle
—de·greed \-ˈgrēd\ adjective
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