grade
pronunciation
How to pronounce grade in British English:
UK [ɡreɪd]
How to pronounce grade in American English:
US [ɡreɪd]
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- Noun:
- a body of students who are taught together
- a relative position or degree of value in a graded group
- the gradient of a slope or road or other surface
- one-hundredth of a right angle
- a degree of ablaut
- a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance)
- the height of the ground on which something stands
- a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
- a variety of cattle produced by crossbreeding with a superior breed
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- Verb:
- assign a rank or rating to
- level to the right gradient
- assign a grade or rank to, according to one's evaluation
- determine the grade of or assign a grade to
Word Origin
- grade (n.)
- 1510s, "degree of measurement," from French grade "grade, degree" (16c.), from Latin gradus "step, pace, gait, walk; step on a ladder or stair;" figuratively "a step, stage, degree," from gradi (past participle gressus) "to walk, step, go," from PIE *ghredh- "to walk, go" (cognates: Lithuanian gridiju "to go, wander," Old Church Slavonic gredo "to come," Old Irish in-greinn "he pursues," and second element in congress, progress, etc.). Replaced Middle English gree "step, degree in a series," from Old French grei "step," from Latin gradus. Meaning "inclination of a road or railroad" is from 1811. Meaning "class of things having the same quality or value" is from 1807; meaning "division of a school curriculum equivalent to one year" is from 1835; that of "letter-mark indicating assessment of a student's work" is from 1886 (earlier used of numerical grades). Grade A "top quality, fit for human consumption" (originally of milk) is from a U.S. system instituted in 1912. To figuratively make the grade "be successful" is from 1912; early examples do not make clear whether the literal grade in mind was one of elevation, quality, or scholarship.
- grade (v.)
- 1650s, "to arrange in grades," from grade (n.). Meaning "to reduce (a road, etc.) to a level or degree of inclination" is from 1835. Meaning "assign a letter mark to" is from 1931. Related: Graded; grading.
Example
- 1. Urban prep has 150 pupils in each grade .
- 2. Lori wilcox 's kids hadn 't yet hit third grade .
- 3. Detail of this higher grade of coal , anthracite .
- 4. She won 't change my grade .
- 5. Not everyone believed yao could make the grade in the nba .