degré

Inherited from Old French degré, from Latin gradus, with the prefix de- (probably to avoid a conflation with gré).

• IPA^(key): /də.ɡʁe/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -e
• Homophone: degrés

degré m (plural degrés)

1. degree

• dégrader
• grade
• gradin

• “degré”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

degré m (plural degrés)

1. degree, rank

From Latin gradus, with the prefix de-.

degré oblique singular, m (oblique plural degrez, nominative singular degrez, nominative plural degré)

1. step (flat, horizontal surface on a staircase)
   • c. 1176, Chrétien de Troyes, Cligès:

     Au pié descendent del degré

     He went down the step on foot

2. staircase
   • c. 1150, Thomas d'Angleterre, Le Roman de Tristan, Champion Classiques edition, →ISBN, page 168, line 2025:

     Suz le degré languist Tristrans

     Tristan languished under the staircase

3. degree; extent

• French: degré
• Norman: dégré
• → Middle English: degre
  • English: degree
  • Scots: degree

• Etymology and history of “degré”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.