gra·di·ent

(grā′dē-ənt)

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, changes in response to changes 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).]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

gradient

(ˈɡreɪdɪənt)

1. (Civil Engineering) Also called (esp US): grade a part of a railway, road, etc, that slopes upwards or downwards; inclination

2. (Civil Engineering) Also called (esp US and Canadian): grade a measure of such a slope, esp the ratio of the vertical distance between two points on the slope to the horizontal distance between them

3. (General Physics) physics a measure of the change of some physical quantity, such as temperature or electric potential, over a specified distance

4. (Mathematics) maths

a. (of a curve) the slope of the tangent at any point on a curve with respect to the horizontal axis

b. (of a function, f(x, y, z)) the vector whose components along the axes are the partial derivatives of the function with respect to each variable, and whose direction is that in which the derivative of the function has its maximum value. Usually written: grad f, ∇f or ∇f. Compare curl¹¹, divergence⁴

adj

sloping uniformly

[C19: from Latin gradiēns stepping, from gradī to go]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

gra•di•ent

(ˈgreɪ di ənt)

n.

1. the degree of inclination of a highway, railroad, etc., or the rate of ascent or descent of a stream or river.

2. an inclined surface; grade; ramp.

a. the rate of change with respect to distance of a variable quantity, as temperature or pressure, in the direction of maximum change.

b. a curve representing such a rate of change.

4. a differential operator that, operating upon a function of several variables, results in a vector whose coordinates are the partial derivatives of the function. Abbr.: grad. Symbol:∂

adj.

5. rising or descending by regular degrees of inclination.

6. progressing by walking; stepping with the feet as animals do.

[1635–45; < Latin gradient-, s. of gradiēns, present participle of gradī to walk, go]

gradient

Closely spaced contour lines on the right indicate a steeper gradient than the more loosely spaced lines on the left.

gra·di·ent

(grā′dē-ənt)

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.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	gradient - 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" slope 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

noun slope, hill, rise, grade, incline, bank a hill with a gradient of 1 in 3

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

gradient

noun

Deviation from a particular direction:

cant, grade, heel, inclination, incline, lean, list, rake, slant, slope, tilt, tip.

Translations

درجَة المَيْل أو الأنْحِدارمُنْحَدَر

sklonstupeň sklonu

hældninghældningsgradskråning

Gefälle Neigung

εφαπτομένη συντελεστής διεύθυνσης

gradiente pendiente

inclinaison pente gradient

gradijentnagib

lejtõsség

hallihalli, hallagráîa, stigull

gradiente pendenza

nogāzeslīpums

gradiëntrichtingscoëfficient

hellingsgrad skråningsgrad

gradiente

stupeň sklonu

gradientlutning

eğim iniş meyil yokuş

倾斜度坡度斜坡

gradient

[ˈgreɪdɪənt] N (esp Brit) → pendiente f, cuesta f
a gradient of one in seven → una pendiente del uno por siete

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

gradient

[ˈgreɪdiənt] n

(= slope) → inclinaison f, pente f

(GEOMETRY) → gradient m

gradient

n (esp Brit) → Neigung f; (upward also) → Steigung f; (downward also) → Gefälle nt; a gradient of 1 in 10 → eine Steigung/ein Gefälle von 10%; what is the gradient? → wie groß ist die Steigung/das Gefälle?; what is the gradient of the hill? → welche Steigung/welches Gefälle hat der Berg?

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

gradient

[ˈgreɪdɪənt] n

a. (of road) → pendenza, gradiente m
a gradient of 1 in 7 → una pendenza del 7 per cento

b. (Math, Phys) → gradiente m

gradient

(ˈgreidiənt) noun

1. the amount of slope (eg of a road, a railway). a gradient of 1 in 4.

2. a slope.

gra·di·ent

a. gradiente, línea que indica aumento o disminución en una variable.