grade

¹grade

noun \ˈgrād\

Definition of GRADE

1

a (1) : a position in a scale of ranks or qualities (2) : a stage in a process

b : a degree of severity in illness <grade III carcinoma>

c : a class organized for the work of a particular year of a school course

d : a military or naval rank

2

a : a class of things of the same stage or degree

b : a mark indicating a degree of accomplishment in school

c : a standard of food quality

3

a : the degree of inclination of a road or slope; also : a sloping road

b : a datum or reference level; especially : ground level

4

: a domestic animal with one parent purebred and the other of inferior breeding

5

plural : the elementary school system

— grade·less \-ləs\ adjective

Examples of GRADE

1. The fifth grade will perform their annual play this week.
2. a grade of 90 percent or better
3. Her grades are up this semester.
4. an expensive grade of leather

Origin of GRADE

Latin gradus step, degree, from Latin gradi to step, go; akin to Lithuanian gridyti to go, wander

First Known Use: 1526

Related to GRADE

Synonyms

chapter, cut, degree, inch, notch, peg, phase, place, point, stage, step

Related Words

angle, aspect, facet, side; amount, measure, plane; decrement, increment

Near Antonyms

aberration, abnormality, deviation

Other Education Terms

baccalaureate, colloquium, corequisite, dissertation, monograph, pedant, practicum, survey course, thesis

Rhymes with GRADE

Ade, aid, aide, blade, braid, cade, clade, fade, glade, jade, lade, made, maid, paid, raid, rayed, shade, spade, stade, staid, suede, trade, wade

²grade

verb

grad·edgrad·ing

Definition of GRADE

transitive verb

1

a : to arrange in grades : sort

b : to arrange in a scale or series

c : to assign to a grade or assign a grade to

2

: to level off to a smooth horizontal or sloping surface

intransitive verb

1

a : to form a series

b : blend

2

: to be of a particular grade

— grad·able \ˈgrā-də-bəl\ adjective

Examples of GRADE

1. Students will be graded on their reading ability.
2. She hasn't finished grading the exams.
3. How would you grade your meal on a scale from one to five?
4. The eggs are graded according to size.

First Known Use of GRADE

1659

Related to GRADE

Synonyms

assort, break down, categorize, class, codify, compartment, compartmentalize, digest, distinguish, distribute, classify, group, peg, place, range, rank, relegate, separate, sort, type

Related Words

array, dispose, draw up, marshal (also marshall), order, organize, systematize; alphabetize, catalog (or catalogue), file, index, list, refer; pigeonhole, shelve; identify, recognize; cull, screen, set, sieve, sift, winnow; clump, cluster, colligate; recategorize, reclassify, regroup; subcategorize

Near Antonyms

confuse, disarrange, jumble, lump, mix (up), scramble; misclassify, missort, mistype

³grade

adjective

Definition of GRADE

: being, involving, or yielding domestic animals of improved but not pure stock <grade ewes> <grade breeding>

First Known Use of GRADE

1852

grade

noun \ˈgrād\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of GRADE

: a degree of severity of a disease or abnormal condition <a grade III carcinoma>