Where does “degree” come from?
Degree comes from Old French degré, from Latin gradus meaning step or rank, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European krey-.
degree (English): A stage of proficiency or qualification in a...
Definitions
- A stage of proficiency or qualification in a...
Ancestry of “degree”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | degre | Someone's personal characteristics, position, or... |
| 2 | Old French | degré | step; staircase; degree; extent |
| 3 | Old French | dé- | — |
| 4 | Latin | dē- | of; from |
| 5 | Latin | dē | of; concerning; about |
| 6 | Latin | post | behind; after, since, besides, except; behind,... |
| 7 | Latin | poste | ablative singular of postis |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | posti | behind, after |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pósti | after |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pós | afterwards, post; by, at |