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   gradient

   /ˈɡreɪdɪənt/

   noun

   • 1. an inclined part of a road or railway; a slope: "fail-safe brakes for use on steep gradients" Similar slopeinclinehillriserising groundbankrampacclivitydropdescentdeclivitygrade
   • ▪ the degree of a slope: "the path becomes very rough as the gradient increases" Similar steepnessangleslantslopeinclinationleaning
   • ▪ the degree of steepness of a graph at any point.
   • 2. an increase or decrease in the magnitude of a property (e.g. temperature, pressure, or concentration) observed in passing from one point or moment to another.
   • ▪ the rate of such a change.
   • ▪ the vector formed by the operator ∇ acting on a scalar function at a given point in a scalar field.

   Word Origin mid 19th century: from grade, on the pattern of salient.

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • G

     2

   • R

     1

   • A

     1

   • D

     2

   • I

     1

   • E

     1

   • N

     1

   • T

     1

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