education: a title conferred on students by a college, university, or professional school on completion of a program of study
earned her four-year degree
associate's degrees
has a degree in psychology
b
: a grade of membership attained in a ritualistic order or society
received his first degree in the Knights of Columbus
c
: an academic title conferred to honor distinguished achievement or service
The actor was presented with an honorary degree.
d
: the formal ceremonies observed in the conferral of such a distinction
8
mathematics: a unit of measure for angles equal to an angle with its vertex at the center of a circle and its sides cutting off ¹/₃₆₀ of the circumference
a fifteen degree angle
47 degrees Latitude
also: a unit of measure for arcs of a circle equal to the amount of arc that subtends a central angle of one degree
9
archaic: a position or space on the earth or in the heavens as measured by degrees of latitude
10
music
a
: a step, note, or tone of a scale
b
: a line or space of the musical staff
11
: one of the divisions or intervals marked on a scale of a measuring instrument
specifically: any of various units for measuring temperature
350 degrees Fahrenheit
12
mathematics
a
: the sum of the exponents of the variables in the term of highest degree in a polynomial, polynomial function, or polynomial equation
: the greatest power of the derivative of highest order in a differential equation after the equation has been rationalized (see rationalizesense 2) and cleared of fractions with respect to the derivative
There are 360 degrees in a circle.
These trees will thrive, to a greater or lesser degree, in a number of climates.
Recent Examples on the WebSunday will be a cooler day, with a high of 76 degrees.—Katherine Loren, Journal Sentinel, 22 June 2024 Dowd, who holds a master’s degree from New York’s Bernard Baruch School of Business and earns more than $40,000 a year [about $225,000 in 2024 dollars], sees the manhunt more as a nuts-and-bolts bureaucratic exercise than a slam-bang cops-and-robbers adventure.—Samira Asma-Sadeque, Peoplemag, 22 June 2024 The hottest temperature in Phoenix through June was 117 degrees Friday, June 21.—Kira Caspers, The Arizona Republic, 22 June 2024 Thomas, a cheery man with dancing eyes who can turn a phrase with the best of them, arrived in Baltimore after graduating with two degrees from Howard University in Washington in the early 1950s.—Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 22 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for degree
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'degree.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French degré, from Vulgar Latin *degradus, from Latin de- + gradus — see degrade
: the intensity of something as measured by degrees
murder in the first degree
b
: one of the forms used in the comparison of an adjective or adverb
3
: a rank or grade of official or social position
persons of high degree
4
a
: a grade of membership in an order or society
b
: a title given a student by a college, university, or professional school upon completion of a program of study
a degree of doctor of medicine
c
: an academic title granted to honor a person who is not a student
5
: one of the divisions marked on a measuring instrument (as a device for measuring temperature)
6
: a unit of measure for angles and arcs that for angles is equal to an angle with its vertex at the center of a circle and its sides cutting off ¹⁄₃₆₀ of the circumference and that for an arc of a circle is equal to ¹⁄₃₆₀ of the circumference
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