Gradable Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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gradable

[หˆษกreษชdษ™bษ™l ]

Definition

Context #1 | Adjective

general

Capable of being graded or ranked. (of an adjective) expressing differences of degree rather than kind.

Synonyms

comparable, measurable, rankable.

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Word Description / Examples
gradable

Used in grammar to describe adjectives that can show degree by being modified with adverbs like very or slightly.

  • Words like 'hot,' 'cold,' and 'big' are gradable because you can say 'very hot,' 'slightly cold,' and 'quite big
  • '
rankable

Used when items can be arranged or ordered according to their importance or quality.

  • The restaurants in the city are rankable based on the quality of their food and service
measurable

Used when something can be quantified in terms of size, amount, or degree.

  • Success should be measurable in terms of the goals you achieve
comparable

Used when two or more things can be compared in terms of their qualities or characteristics.

  • The job offers are comparable in terms of salary and benefits

Examples of usage

  • Her pain was gradable; she gave it a five on a scale of ten.
  • The adjectives 'hot' and 'cold' are gradable because they express different degrees of temperature.
  • The concept of gradable adjectives is important in linguistics.
  • The gradable nature of some adjectives allows for more nuanced descriptions.
  • Gradable adjectives can be modified by adverbs to indicate different levels of intensity.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Linguistics

  • In grammar, gradable adjectives like 'big' or 'small' can show different levels, such as 'bigger' or 'smallest.'
  • Non-gradable adjectives, like 'perfect,' do not have degrees; something is either perfect or it isn't.

Education

  • Assessment in schools often uses gradable criteria, allowing teachers to give more precise feedback.
  • Rubrics with gradable levels help students understand how to improve their work.

Psychology

  • Gradable scales are used in surveys to measure opinions or feelings, allowing for a range of responses from 'strongly agree' to 'strongly disagree.'
  • Understanding gradable concepts can help us make better decisions by comparing options.

Mathematics

  • In math, some concepts are gradable, like temperature or weight, where values can vary along a continuum.
  • Graphs that illustrate gradable factors can visually depict relationships between different variables.

Art

  • Artists often use gradable techniques in their work, such as shading, to create depth and dimension that convey a range of emotions.
  • Color theory involves gradable hues, where colors can have varying degrees of brightness or saturation.

Origin of 'gradable'

The word 'gradable' originates from the Latin word 'gradus' meaning 'step' or 'degree'. In English, the term 'gradable' was first recorded in the mid-17th century, derived from the verb 'grade' meaning 'to arrange in ranks'. Over time, 'gradable' evolved to describe something that can be arranged or ranked according to degrees or levels.


See also: degrade, downgrade, graded, grader, grades, grading, upgrade, upgrader.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #39,443, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.