degree
de.gree \di-'gre-\ n [ME, fr. OF degre`, fr. (assumed) VL degradus, fr. L
de- + (Xgradus obs 1a: STEP, STAIR archaic 1b: a member of a series
arranged in steps 2: a step or stage in a process, course, or
classificatory order 3: a measure of damage to tissue caused by disease or
other force 4a: the extent, measure, or scope of an action, condition, or
relation 4b: relative intensity 4c: one of the forms or sets of forms
used in the comparison of an adjectiv e or adverb 4d: a legal measure of
guilt or negligence 5a: a rank or grade of official, ecclesiastical, or
social position archaic 5b: a particular standing esp. as to dignity or
worth 5c: the civil condition or status of a person 6: a step in a direct
line of descent or in the line of ascent to a common ancestor 7a: a grade
of membership attained in a ritualistic order or society 7b: the formal
ceremonies observed in the conferral of such a distinction 7c: a title
conferred upon students by a college, university, or profession al school
upon completion of a unified program of study 7d: an academic title
conferred honorarily archaic 8: a position or space on the earth or in
the heavens as measured by degree s of latitude 9: one of the divisions or
intervals marked on a scale of a measuring instr ument 10: a 360th part of
the circumference of a circle 11a: the sum of the exponents of the
variable factors of a monomial 11b: the sum of the exponents of the
variable factors of the term of highes t degree in a polynomial 12a: a line
or space of the musical staff 12b: a step, note, or tone of a musical
scale 1: to a remarkable extent 2: in a small way - to a degree