gradient

noun gra·di·ent \ ˈgrā-dē-ənt \

Definition of gradient

1 a :the rate of regular or graded (see ²grade transitive 2) ascent or descent :inclination

b :a part sloping upward or downward

2 :change in the value of a quantity (such as temperature, pressure, or concentration) with change in a given variable and especially per unit distance in a specified direction

3 :the vector sum of the partial derivatives with respect to the three coordinate variables x, y, and z of a scalar quantity whose value varies from point to point

4 :a graded difference in physiological activity along an axis (as of the body or an embryonic field)

See gradient defined for English-language learners

See gradient defined for kids

Examples of gradient in a Sentence

the path goes up at a pretty steep gradient before leveling off

Recent Examples of gradient from the Web

With such a tight gradient, this remains a tricky forecast.

— ian livingston, Washington Post, "PM Update: Cool, breezy and at least occasionally rainy Tuesday," 28 Aug. 2017
Pratto notes in an email interview that SDO is not a binary phenomenon, but a gradient.

— eoin o'carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, "Why are there still Nazis? These eight questions can help explain.," 14 Aug. 2017
SHOP Marshal: ray-ban.com The new shape comes in seven colorways, from green and gray gradient lenses, to a gold, silver, and gunmetal, to all black.

— christine flammia, Esquire, "Ray-Ban Just Dropped Your New Favorite Sunglasses," 7 Aug. 2017
Whipped up by celebrity hairstylist Kenna, the only thing more mesmerizing than the pony's gradient from blond to pink is the kaleidoscopic Instagram filter Hadid also shot herself with.

— rachel nussbaum, Glamour, "Gigi Hadid's New Hot Pink Hair Is Full-On 'My Little Pony'," 28 July 2017
The entire climb from the descent after the Col de Vars is about 18 miles, and includes gradients that reach 10 percent in spots.

— bob ford, Philly.com, "Thursday is the one Tour de France stage you have to watch | Bob Ford," 19 July 2017
Froome’s Sky teammates had controlled the race until the final kilometer leading to the ski station of Peyragudes, but Froome was dropped in a final section that featured slopes with a 20 percent gradient.

— the associated press, New York Times, "Chris Froome Loses Overall Lead at Tour de France," 14 July 2017
The 100-mile leg begins in Vittel and winds its way to La Planche Des Belles Filles with a short but steep finishing ascent that features a leg-breaking 20 percent gradient in the final meters.

— andrew dampf, courant.com, "Sagan Disqualified From Tour For Elbowing Cavendish," 4 July 2017
Mr. Pruitt has laid out 48 gradient poster boards to create a massive color-field wall hanging.

— chris hampton, New York Times, "In Detroit, Artists Explore the Riches of the 99-Cent Store," 28 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gradient.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Any slope can be called a gradient. In the interstate highway system, the maximum gradient is 6 percent; in other words, the highway may never ascend more than 6 vertical feet over a distance of 100 feet. Any rate of change that's shown on a graph may have a sloped gradient. Suppose the graph's horizontal axis shows the passage of time and its vertical axis shows some activity; if the activity is happening very fast, then the gradient of the line on the graph will be steep, but if it's slow the gradient will be gentle, or gradual.

Origin and Etymology of gradient

Latin gradient-, gradiens, present participle of gradi

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1835

See Words from the same year

gradient Synonyms

Synonyms

cant, diagonal, grade, slant, inclination, incline, lean, pitch, rake, slope, tilt, upgrade

Related Words

ascent, bank, climb, rise

Near Antonyms

declension, declination, decline, declivity, descent, dip, downgrade, fall, hang, hanging, receding

Other Physics Terms

amplitude, centrifugal, centripetal, convection, hysteresis, kinetic, lase, quantum

GRADIENT Defined for English Language Learners

gradient

noun

Definition of gradient for English Language Learners

: a place where the ground slopes up or down

Medical Dictionary

gradient

noun gra·di·ent \ ˈgrād-ē-ənt \

medical Definition of gradient

1 :change in the value of a quantity (as temperature, pressure, or concentration) with change in a given variable and especially per unit on a linear scale

2 :a graded difference in physiological activity along an axis (as of the body or an embryonic field)

3 usually gradient of effect :change in response with distance from the stimulus