gradus Latin · revision 2742

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=ine-pro *gʰredʰ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈɡra.dʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɡraː.dus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gradus''' ''m'' (genitive gradūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms are a genitive ''graduis'' in Varro, a dative ''gradu'' in Lucilius, an ablative ''grado'' and an accusative plural ''grados'' in Pacuvius and Vitruvius; medieval texts write ''gratus''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*graðus]], from the root [[ine-pro|*gʰredʰ-|t=to walk, go]], and belongs with the verb [[gradior]] “to step”.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) Georges and Gaffiot derive it directly from the verb, and Lewis and Short compare a Sanskrit root “to go”.^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Ennius,^(Köbler 2010) who has ''gradum proferre pedum'', “to advance a [[m|en|step]]”,^(Lewis & Short 1879) and Plautus uses it of walking and of a pace.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a step or pace, a walking pace as opposed to a run, and a unit of length of two and a half feet; then a firm footing (''gradu pulsae'', driven from their stand) and the position of an object.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Concretely it was a step or stair, as in “the steps of the temple of Concord”, a rung of a ladder, a tier of seats in a theatre, a projecting edge, a tier in a hairstyle, a level reached in trenching and a division in geometry.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Figuratively it was a step in a process (''per gradus'', by degrees), a step in an argument, a stage of life, a degree of the musical scale, a degree of kinship, a place in the order of succession under a will, a rank in the scale of dignity, and a degree of quality or size.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Medieval Latin added the raised part of a church before the altar, the gradual psalms (''canticum graduum''), a harbour, a court rank, an ecclesiastical order, ordination, the priesthood, the monastic state and the academic degree.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ It survives as Italian and Spanish ''grado'', Portuguese ''grau'' and French ''grade'',^(Wiktionary) and a Vulgar Latin compound ''*degradus'' gave Old French ''degré'' and English [[m|en|degree]] (c. 1200), while [[m|en|grade]] came through French in the 1510s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of a step.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of pace and gait.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of stages of growth and of degrees of size.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the steps of a temple, of steps in an argument and of senatorial rank.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of degrees of kinship.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of tiers in a hairstyle.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 519 – Niermeyer's earliest medieval citation.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1200 – [[en|degree|alt=Degree]] enters English from Old French ''degré''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1510s – [[en|grade|alt=Grade]] is borrowed into English through French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|step]], a pace; a walking pace; a unit of length.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A firm footing, a stance; the position of an object.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A step, a [[m|en|stair]]; a rung; a tier of seats; a projecting edge; a tier of hair.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(geometry)'' A division, a degree.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A step or stage in a process; a step in an argument; a stage of life.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(music)'' A degree of the scale, an interval.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A degree of kinship; a place in the order of succession.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A [[m|en|rank]]; a degree of quality, size or intensity, a grade.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' The raised part of a church before the altar; the gradual psalms; a harbour; an ecclesiastical order; the priesthood; an academic [[m|en|degree]].^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gradātus]]

+ * [[congradus]]

+ * [[gradalis]]

+ * [[gradārius]]

+ * [[gradilis]]

+ * [[praegradō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gradior]]

+ * [[en|degree]]

+ * [[en|grade]]

+ * [[en|gradual]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''gradus'', the step as taken, from [[gressus]], the step being taken, and [[passus]], a measured step that serves as a unit.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}