# gradual
## English
### Alternative forms

* graduall (obsolete)

### Etymology

From Medieval Latin graduālis, from Latin gradus (“step”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰradʰ-, *gʰredʰ- (“to walk, go”). Cognate with Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌸𐍃 (griþs, “step, grade”), Bavarian Gritt (“step, stride”).

### Pronunciation

* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈɡɹadʒuəl/, /ˈɡɹadjuəl/, /ˈɡɹadʒəl/
* (General American) IPA: /ˈɡɹæd͡ʒuəl/, /ˈɡɹæd͡ʒəl/
* Audio (US):(file)
* (New Zealand) IPA: /ˈɡɹɛdʒʉɘl/, /ˈɡɹɛdʒɘl/
* Hyphenation: grad‧u‧al, grad‧ual, gradu‧al
* Rhymes: (General American) -ædʒəl

### Adjective

gradual (comparative more gradual, superlative most gradual)
* Proceeding or advancing by small, slow, regular steps or degrees
    a gradual increase of knowledge; a gradual decline
** 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:Creatures animate with gradual life / Of growth, sense, reason, all summed up in man.

#### Synonyms

* stepwise

#### Antonyms

* sudden
* abrupt

#### Derived terms

* gradualism
* gradualist
* gradualistic
* graduality
* gradualize
* gradually
* gradualness
* gradual typing
* nongradual
* ungradual

#### See also

* insidious

### Noun

gradual (plural graduals)
* (Christianity) An antiphon or responsory after the epistle, in the Mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps.
* (Christianity) A service book containing the musical portions of the Mass.

#### Translations
## Catalan
### Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin graduālis.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: (Central, Balearic) [ɡɾə.ðuˈal]
* IPA: (Valencia) [ɡɾa.ðuˈal]
* Rhymes: -al
* Hyphenation: gra‧du‧al

### Adjective

gradual m or f (masculine and feminine plural graduals)
* gradual

#### Derived terms

* gradualment

#### Related terms

* grau

### Further reading

* “gradual” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
* “gradual”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
* “gradual” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
* “gradual” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

## Galician
### Etymology

From Medieval Latin graduālis.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɡɾaduˈal/ [ɡɾa.ð̞uˈɑɫ]
* IPA: (standard) /ɡɾaduˈal/ [ɡɾa.ð̞uˈɑɫ]
* IPA: (gheada) /ħɾaduˈal/ [ħɾa.ð̞uˈɑɫ]
* Rhymes: -al
* Hyphenation: gra‧du‧al

### Adjective

gradual m or f (plural graduais)
* gradual

#### Derived terms

* gradualmente

#### Related terms

* grao

### Further reading

* “gradual”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025
* “gradual” in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (2014).

## Occitan
### Alternative forms

* graduau

### Pronunciation

* This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA then please add some!

### Adjective

gradual m (feminine singular graduala, masculine plural graduals, feminine plural gradualas)
* gradual

#### Derived terms

* gradualament

### Further reading

* Diccionari General de la Lenga Occitana, L’Academia occitana – Consistòri del Gai Saber, 2008-2024, page 357.

## Portuguese
### Etymology

Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin graduālis.

### Pronunciation

* (Brazil) IPA: /ɡɾa.duˈaw/ [ɡɾa.dʊˈaʊ̯], (faster pronunciation) /ɡɾaˈdwaw/ [ɡɾaˈdwaʊ̯]
* (Portugal) IPA: /ɡɾɐˈdwal/ [ɡɾɐˈðwaɫ]
* (Portugal) IPA: /ɡɾɐˈdwal/ [ɡɾɐˈðwaɫ]
** (Southern Portugal) IPA: /ɡɾɐˈdwa.li/ [ɡɾɐˈðwa.li]
* Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
* Hyphenation: gra‧du‧al

### Adjective

gradual m or f (plural graduais, comparable, comparative mais gradual, superlative o mais gradual or gradualíssimo)
* gradual

#### Derived terms

* gradualmente

### Further reading

* “gradual”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025

## Spanish
### Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin graduālis.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɡɾaˈdwal/ [ɡɾaˈð̞wal]
* Rhymes: -al
* Syllabification: gra‧dual

### Adjective

gradual m or f (masculine and feminine plural graduales)
* gradual

#### Derived terms

* gradualidad
* gradualmente

#### Related terms

* grado
* graduar

### Noun

gradual m (plural graduales)
* (Roman Catholicism) gradual

### Further reading

* “gradual”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10