Printer Friendly
The Free Dictionary
990,119,404 visitors served.
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

gradient

   Also found in: Medical, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
gra·di·ent  (grd-nt)
n. Abbr. grad.
1. A rate of inclination; a slope.
2. An ascending or descending part; an incline.
3. Physics The rate at which a physical quantity, such as temperature or pressure, increases or decreases relative to change in a given variable, especially distance.
4. Mathematics A vector having coordinate components that are the partial derivatives of a function with respect to its variables.
5. Biology A series of progressively increasing or decreasing differences in the growth rate, metabolism, or physiological activity of a cell, organ, or organism.

[Perhaps grade + -ient, as in quotient.]

gradient
Noun
1. Also (esp. US): (grade) a sloping part of a railway, road, or path
2. Also (esp. US): (grade) a measure of the steepness of such a slope
3. a measure of the change in something, such as the angle of a curve, over a specified distance [Latin gradiens stepping]

gradient  (grd-nt)
1. The degree to which something inclines; a slope. A mountain road with a gradient of ten percent rises one foot for every ten feet of horizontal length.
2. The rate at which a physical quantity, such as temperature or pressure changes over a distance.
3. A operator on scalar fields yielding a vector function, where the value of the vector evaluated at any point indicates the direction and degree of change of the field at that point.
click for a larger image
gradient
The gradient on the left is gentle enough for trees to take root. The gradient on the right is too steep.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.gradientgradient - a graded change in the magnitude of some physical quantity or dimension
change - a relational difference between states; especially between states before and after some event; "he attributed the change to their marriage"
concentration gradient - a gradient in concentration of a solute as a function of distance through a solution; "the movement of a solute down its concentration gradient is called diffusion"
gravity gradient - a gradient in the gravitational forces acting on different parts of a nonspherical object; "the gravity gradient of the moon causes the ocean tides on Earth"
temperature gradient - change in temperature as a function of distance (especially altitude)
2.gradient - the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the horizontal; "a five-degree gradient"
grade - the gradient of a slope or road or other surface; "the road had a steep grade"
rake, slant, pitch - degree of deviation from a horizontal plane; "the roof had a steep pitch"
precipitousness, steepness, abruptness - the property possessed by a slope that is very steep
gentleness, gradualness - the property possessed by a slope that is very gradual
spatial relation, position - the spatial property of a place where or way in which something is situated; "the position of the hands on the clock"; "he specified the spatial relations of every piece of furniture on the stage"

gradient

The rate of inclination to horizontal expressed as a ratio, such as 1:25, indicating a one unit rise to 25 units of horizontal distance.
Translations
Spanish gradient [ˈgreɪdɪənt] npendiente f
French gradient [ˈgreɪdɪənt] ninclinaison f, pente f;
(Geom) → gradient m

German gradient [ˈgreɪdɪənt] n (upward) → Neigung f, Steigung f;
(downward) → Neigung, Gefälle nt;
(Geom) → Gradient m

Italian gradient [ˈgreɪdɪənt] npendenza, gradiente m

?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
Add definition
? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Then they have a recording instrument, according to which they alter the gradient of a new gun, with shells that explode under water.
Close on the rear of this came a couple of cabs, the forerun- ners of a long procession of flying vehicles, going for the most part to Chalk Farm station, where the North-Western special trains were loading up, instead of coming down the gradient into Euston.
The air grew cooler; they had surmounted the last gradient, and Oniton lay below them with its church, its radiating houses, its castle, its river-girt peninsula.
 
Dictionary/thesaurus browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Translations
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2008 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.