gradient
Pronunciation: [ˈɡreɪ.di.ənt]
Word
Context: “mathematics”
(noun) a measure of how steep something is or how fast it changes. You can think of it like a hill. If the hill is very steep, the gradient is large; if it’s gentle, the gradient is small.
Example
The gradient of the hill made it easier for the bikes to go faster.
Example
The road had a flat gradient, so it was boring to ride on.
Example
What is the gradient of the mountain we are climbing?
Context: “color and art”
(noun) a smooth change from one color to another. Imagine a rainbow where the colors blend together without a clear line separating them.
Example
The artist used a lovely gradient in the painting to show the sunset.
Example
The gradient in that design is too abrupt, making it look unnatural.
Example
Can you create a gradient that goes from blue to green?
Context: “physics”
(noun) a difference in a certain quality, such as temperature or pressure, over a distance. It shows how much something changes as you move from one place to another.
Example
There was a noticeable temperature gradient as we moved from the sun to the shade.
Example
There wasn't a gradient in pressure, so the weather stayed the same.
Example
Is there a gradient in humidity between the two rooms?
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