Etimology
From Middle English degre, borrowed from Old French degré (French: degré), itself from Latin gradus, with the prefix de-.
noun
degree (plural degrees)
A stage of proficiency or qualification in a course of study, now especially an award bestowed by a university or, in some countries, a college, as a certification of academic achievement. (In the United States, can include secondary schools.) [from 14th c.]
(geometry) A unit of measurement of angle equal to 1⁄360 of a circle's circumference. [from 14th c.]
(physics) A unit of measurement of temperature on any of several scales, such as Celsius or Fahrenheit. [from 18th c.]
(algebra) The sum of the exponents of a term; the order of a polynomial. [from 18th c.]
(algebra, field theory) The dimensionality of a field extension.
(graph theory) The number of edges that a vertex takes part in; a valency.
(logic) The number of logical connectives in a formula.
(surveying) The curvature of a circular arc, expressed as the angle subtended by a fixed length of arc or chord.
(geography) A unit of measurement of latitude and longitude which together identify a location on the Earth's surface.
(grammar) Any of the stages (like positive, comparative, superlative, elative) in the comparison of an adjective or an adverb.
(obsolete outside heraldry) A step on a set of stairs; the rung of a ladder. [from 13th c.]
An individual step, or stage, in any process or scale of values. [from 13th c.]
A stage of rank or privilege; social standing. [from 13th c.]
(genealogy) A ‘step’ in genealogical descent. [from 14th c.]
(now rare) One's relative state or experience; way, manner. [from 14th c.]
The amount that an entity possesses a certain property; relative intensity, extent. [from 14th c.]
Examples
She has two bachelor's degrees and is studying towards a master's degree.
A right angle is a ninety-degree angle.
Most humans have a field of vision of almost 180 degrees.
212 degrees Fahrenheit is equivalent to 100 degrees Celsius.
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
A quadratic polynomial is a polynomial of degree 2.
The set of complex numbers constitutes a field extension of degree 2 over the real numbers.
The Galois field GF = GF {\displaystyle \operatorname {GF} =\operatorname {GF} } has degree 3 over its subfield GF . {\displaystyle \operatorname {GF} .}
And they axed hym ſayinge: Maſter / we knowe that thou ſayest / and teacheſt ryght / nether conſidereſt thou eny mãnes degre / but teacheſt the waye of god truely.
But when Adam delued, and Eue ſpan,VVho was then a Gentleman.Brethren, brethren, it were better to haue this communitie,Then to haue this difference in degrees:The landlord his rent, the lawyer his fees.So quickly the poore mans ſubſtance is ſpent […]
Louis created the École militaire in Paris in 1751, in which 500 scholarships were designated for noblemen able to prove four degrees of noble status.
If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.
To what degree do the two accounts of the accident concur?
In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.
Then there are the sums that Abramovich would be permitted to invest within the parameters of the profit and sustainability rules – £105m over a rolling three-year period. That, plainly, has stopped and so, to repeat, it is imperative that the transfer of ownership happens with a degree of speed.
Related words
synonyms
(unit of angle): °, arcdegree
(unit of temperature): °
(unit of latitude): °
(unit of longitude): °
coordinate terms
scale