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Graduate vs Gradual - What's the difference?

graduate | gradual |

As nouns the difference between graduate and gradual

is that graduate is (from a university) A person who is recognized by a university as having completed the requirements of a degree studied at the institution while gradual is an antiphon or responsory after the epistle, in the Mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps.

As adjectives the difference between graduate and gradual

is that graduate is graduated, arranged by degrees while gradual is proceeding by steps or small degrees; advancing step by step, as in ascent or descent or from one state to another; regularly progressive; slow.

As a verb graduate

is to be recognized by a school or university as having completed the requirements of a degree studied at the institution. See note on “from” usage.

graduate

Noun

(en noun)
  • (senseid) A person who is recognized by a university as having completed the requirements of a degree studied at the institution.
  • If the government wants graduates to stay in the country they should offer more incentives .
  • (US, Canada) A person who is recognized by a high school as having completed the requirements of a course of study at the school.
  • A graduated (marked) cup or other container, thus fit for measuring.
  • Antonyms

    * (person recognized for having finished studies) student, drop-out

    Coordinate terms

    * (person recognized by school) (l), (l), (l)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • graduated, arranged by degrees
  • holding an academic degree
  • relating to an academic degree
  • Verb

    (graduat)
  • (ergative) To be recognized by a school or university as having completed the requirements of a degree studied at the institution. See note on “from” usage.
  • The man graduated in 1967.
    Trisha graduated from college.
    Trisha graduated college.
  • To certify (a student) as having earned a degree
  • Indiana University graduated the student.
    The college graduated him as soon as he was no longer eligible to play under NCAA rules.
  • To mark (something) with degrees; to divide into regular steps or intervals, as the scale of a thermometer, a scheme of punishment or rewards, etc.
  • To change gradually.
  • sandstone which graduates''' into gneiss; carnelian sometimes '''graduates into quartz
  • To prepare gradually; to arrange, temper, or modify by degrees or to a certain degree; to determine the degrees of.
  • to graduate the heat of an oven
  • * Browne
  • Dyers advance and graduate their colours with salts.
  • (chemistry) To bring to a certain degree of consistency, by evaporation, as a fluid.
  • To taper, as the tail of certain birds.
  • Usage notes

    In the sense “to complete studies”, the preposition “from” is often used, but may be dropped in informal speech, as in “I just graduated' ''from'' college” vs. (informal) “I just ' graduated college”. This varies between speakers, and some speakers consider “from” required, marking “I graduated college” as incorrect or uneducated. Note also that the subject and object can switch between the school and the student: “I graduated' [from] Indiana University last year” vs. “Indiana University ' graduated me last year”.

    Derived terms

    * graduator

    gradual

    English

    Alternative forms

    * graduall (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Proceeding by steps or small degrees; advancing step by step, as in ascent or descent or from one state to another; regularly progressive; slow.
  • a gradual''' increase of knowledge; a '''gradual decline
  • * Milton
  • Creatures animate with gradual life / Of growth, sense, reason, all summed up in man.

    Synonyms

    * (l)

    Antonyms

    * sudden * abrupt

    Derived terms

    * gradually

    See also

    * (l)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Roman Catholic Church) An antiphon or responsory after the epistle, in the Mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps.
  • (Roman Catholic Church) A service book containing the musical portions of the Mass.