grade
grade Lexical Profile
grade Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A mark, score, or letter indicating the quality of a student's academic work or performance.
"She studied diligently all semester and earned the highest grade in her chemistry class."
North American A specific year or level of schooling in elementary or secondary education, or the students in that division.
"My younger brother is excited to start fifth grade this autumn."
A particular level of rank, quality, proficiency, or value on a scale.
"The restaurant uses only the finest grade of olive oil in its kitchen."
North American A slope or degree of inclination of a road, railway, or natural terrain.
"The freight train slowed considerably as it climbed the steep mountain grade."
• verb
To evaluate and assign a mark or score to a student's academic work or examination.
"The professor spent the entire weekend grading midterm essays."
To sort, arrange, or classify items into categories according to quality, size, or rank.
"The agricultural cooperative grades the harvested apples by size and color before shipping them."
To level or smooth the slope of a road or land surface in preparation for construction.
"Heavy machinery was brought in to grade the dirt road before paving began."
To pass or blend gradually from one shade, tone, or stage into another.
"Along the coast, the sandy beaches gradually grade into rocky cliffs."
• Rhymes for grade
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 16th century from French 'grade', which comes from the Latin 'gradus', meaning 'a step, pace, or degree', derived from the verb 'gradi' ('to walk or step').