[grey-dey-shuh
n] 
| 1. | any process or change taking place through a series of stages, by degrees, or in a gradual manner. |
| 2. | a stage, degree, or grade in such a series. |
| 3. | the passing of one tint or shade of color to another, or one surface to another, by very small degrees, as in painting or sculpture. |
| 4. | the act of grading. |
| 5. | ablaut. |
| 6. | Geology. the leveling of a land surface, resulting from the concerted action of erosion and deposition. |
| ab·laut (äb'lout', äp'-) n. A vowel change, characteristic of Indo-European languages, that accompanies a change in grammatical function; for example, i, a, u in sing, sang, sung. Also called gradation. [German : ab, off (from Middle High German ab, abe, from Old High German aba; see apo- in Indo-European roots) + Laut, sound (from Middle High German lūt, from Old High German hlūt; see kleu- in Indo-European roots).] |
| gra·da·tion (grā-dā'shən) n.
[Latin gradātiō, gradātiōn-, from gradus, step; see grade.] gra·da'tion·al adj., gra·da'tion·al·ly adv. |
