DEGREE Copy link • DEGREEgradus (strictly applicable only to things that are susceptible of gradations, such as relationship, rank, honours, age, etc.; also applied to degrees of perfection; Vid: Cic., Ecl., p. 181; and in mathematics, of the degrees of a circle, etc.): cf., gradus also stands for “degree” of relationship; e.g. not to stand in any degree of relationship to anybody, nullo gradu contingere alicujus domum (Suet., Ner., Galb., 2; whence we may form the expressions, “to be related in the second or third degree,” etc.): to stand in a near degree of relationship to anybody, arcto propinquitatis vinculo cum aliquo conjunctum esse: to stand in a near degree of relationship to anybody on the mother’s side, a matre artissimo gradu contingere aliquem. To reach a high degree (of perfection), ad altum gradum pervenire: not yet to have reached so high a degree of wisdom, nondum pervenisse ad istum gradum sapientiae: to bring a work to the highest degree of perfection, operi fastigium imponere. ☞ “In a high degree” is mostly translated by summus, etc., without gradus; e.g., you possess that faculty in a high degree, ea facultas in te summa est: those faculties have been granted to you in a less degree, tibi ea minora data sunt (Cic. Or., 1, 29, 132): to possess anything in a higher degree, aliquid majus habere (Vid: Cic., N.D., 2, 31, 79): to possess anything in a very high degree, aliquid in te summum est; aliqua re cumulatum esse. When “degree” means a quality, it is expressed in Latin, not by gradus, but by some other turn of expression; e.g., a slight degree of cold, frigus leve: a high degree of cold, frigus immodicum: an intolerable degree of cold, frigus intolerable. To have reached the highest degree, venisse ad summum (e.g., of anybody’s glory): in a high degree, valde; magnopere: in a higher degree, magis: in the highest degree, maximopere; summopere: in an equal degree, aeque; pariter: to love in the same degree, pares in amore esse et aequales: in the same degree as, ita ... ut (Cic., Off., 1, 15, extr.); quantum ... tantum (Plin., Ep., 2, 1, 7): to such a degree of boldness, eo audaciae: to such a degree that, etc., usque eo or adeo ... ut, etc. Class, classis (the proper word): ordo (degree or rank): men of the lowest degree, hominis infimi ordinis or generis: people of all degrees, omnium ordinum homines: of the same degree, ejusdem ordinis homines. By degrees, paullatim (gradually): sensim (by imperceptible degrees, opposed to subito or repente): pedetentim; gradatim (step by step, pedetentim opposed to curru, equo, etc.: gradatim opposed to concitato gradu): sensim et paullatim; sensim et pedetentim; pedetentim et gradatim: minutatim (in separate small portions; e.g., to retreat, etc.-) (☞ the combination so frequent in modern Latin, sensim sensimque is false Latin): a hill rising by gentle degrees, collis molliter assurgens; also leniter editus, placide or leniter acclivis (opposed to leniter declivis): a chain of mountains, ascending by gentle degrees, molle et clementer editum montis jugum: to go forward by degrees, placide progredi: to go backward by degrees, paullatim labi. An academical degree, *gradus honoris academici or dignitatis academicae.