grade
Definitions
A level of quality or rank.
等级，级别。
A mark for academic work; (US) a school year.
成绩，分数；（美）年级。
(US) the steepness of a slope.
（美）坡度。
To sort by quality; to assign marks to.
分级；评分。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedDirectly from Latin gradus (a step, a degree). A grade is one step on a scale of quality, rank, or achievement. From that single sense English spread it everywhere: school grades (marks), grade levels (school years), road grades (slope steepness), grades of meat or ore (quality tiers).
Root gress still carries 64 more wordsUsage Guide
Several senses are mainly American: 'grade' for a school mark (BrE 'mark'), 'third grade' for a school year (BrE 'Year 3'), and 'grade' for road slope (BrE 'gradient'). British English keeps 'grade' mostly for quality levels (Grade A eggs).
Example Sentences
- 1.
She got the top grade in the entire class.
- 2.
My son just started third grade.
- 3.
Inspectors grade the eggs by size and quality.