degree
- degree
degree early 13c., from
O.Fr. degré (12c.) "
a step (of a stair), pace, degree (of relationship), academic degree; rank, status, position," said to be from
V.L. *degradus "
a step," from
L.L. degredare, from
L. de- "
down" (see
DE- (
Cf. de-)) +
gradus "
step" (see
GRADE (
Cf. grade)). Most modern senses date from
M.E., from notion of a hierarchy of steps. Meaning "
a grade of crime" is 1670s; that of "
a unit of temperature" is from 1727. The division of the circle into 360 degrees was known in Babylon and
Egypt. It is perhaps from the daily motion of the sun through the zodiac in the course of a year.
Etymology dictionary.
2014.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
Degree — may refer to: Contents 1 As a unit of measurement 2 In mathematics 3 In education … Wikipedia
Degree — De*gree , n. [F. degr[ e], OF. degret, fr. LL. degradare. See {Degrade}.] 1. A step, stair, or staircase. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] By ladders, or else by degree. Rom. of R. [1913 Webster] 2. One of a series of progressive steps upward or downward,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
degree — de·gree n 1: a step in a direct line of descent or in the line of ascent to a common ancestor 2 a: a measure of the seriousness of a crime see also fifth degree, first degree, f … Law dictionary
degree — [di grē′] n. [ME degre < OFr degré, degree, step, rank < VL * degradus < degradare: see DEGRADE] 1. any of the successive steps or stages in a process or series 2. a step in the direct line of descent [a cousin in the second degree] 3.… … English World dictionary
degree — In Sheridan s The Rivals (1775), we find the assertion Assuredly, sir, your father is wrath to a degree, meaning ‘your father is extremely cross’. The use survived in more florid English into the 20c and was accepted by Fowler (1926) ‘however… … Modern English usage
degree — ► NOUN 1) the amount, level, or extent to which something happens or is present. 2) a unit of measurement of angles, equivalent to one ninetieth of a right angle. 3) a unit in a scale of temperature, intensity, hardness, etc. 4) an academic rank… … English terms dictionary
dégréé — dégréé, ée (dé gré é, ée) part. passé. Un vaisseau dégréé … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré
degree — of freedom degree of polymerization … Mechanics glossary
degree — [n1] unit of measurement amount, amplitude, caliber, dimension, division, expanse, extent, gauge, gradation, grade, height, intensity, interval, length, limit, line, link, mark, notch, period, plane, point, proportion, quality, quantity, range,… … New thesaurus
degree — noun 1 measurement of angles VERB + DEGREE ▪ rotate, spin, turn ▪ I turned the wheel 90 degrees, PREPOSITION ▪ through … degrees ▪ … Collocations dictionary
