Definition of the word gradual

The word "gradual" comes from the Latin word "gradus," meaning "step" or "degree." In Latin, the word "gradalis" was used to describe something that progresses or advances by degrees or steps. This Latin term was later adopted into Middle English as "gradual," and has been used in the English language since around the 13th century. In its earliest sense, "gradual" referred to something that advances or increases gradually, such as a gradual increase in temperature or the gradual unfolding of a story. Over time, the word expanded to encompass other meanings, including a gradual process or a gradual step-by-step process. Today, we still use the word "gradual" to describe things that happen step by step, or that increase or change over time in a slow and measured way.