gradual
pronunciation
How to pronounce gradual in British English:
UK [ˈɡrædʒuəl]
How to pronounce gradual in American English:
US [ˈɡrædʒuəl]
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- Noun:
- (Roman Catholic Church) an antiphon (usually from the Book of Psalms) immediately after the epistle at Mass
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- Adjective:
- proceeding in small stages
- of a topographical gradient; not steep or abrupt
Word Origin
- gradual
- gradual: [16] Latin grādus ‘step’ has been a remarkably prolific source of English words. Beside grade [16] itself, it has contributed the derivatives gradation [16], gradient [19], gradual (from medieval Latin graduālis, literally ‘proceeding by steps’), graduate [15], and retrograde [14]. The derived verb gradī ‘walk, go’ has produced ingredient, and its past participial stem gress- has given, among others, aggression, congress, digress [16], progress [15], and transgress [16].And degrade and degree are of the same parentage, the latter filtered through Old French. The origins of Latin grādus itself are not known.=> aggression, congress, degrade, degree, digress, grade, gradient, ingredient, progress, transgress
- gradual (adj.)
- early 15c., "having steps or ridges," from Medieval Latin gradualis, from Latin gradus "step" (see grade (n.)). Meaning "arranged by degrees" is from 1540s; that of "taking place by degrees" is from 1690s.
Synonym
Example
- 1. The best he could hope for was gradual reform .
- 2. Gradual fiscal consolidation may also be stimulative in the short run .
- 3. The makeover will be gradual .
- 4. For the curripaco of brazil , marriage is a gradual , undefinedprocess .
- 5. Had russia adopted more gradual reforms , those lives would have been saved .