rising-grade
|ris-ing-grade|
/ˈraɪzɪŋ ɡreɪd/
increasing level / upward slope
Etymology
'rising-grade' is a compound formed from 'rising' (the present participle of 'rise') and 'grade' (meaning step, degree, or slope).
'rising' comes from Old English 'rīsan' (to rise) and was commonly used in present-participle form; 'grade' originates from Latin 'gradus' via Old French 'grade' and Middle English, and the two elements have been combined in modern English compound usage to describe an upward slope or increasing level.
Initially, 'rise' meant 'to move upward' and 'grade' meant 'step' or 'degree'; over time, their compound use came to denote specifically an increasing slope or an upward change in level or marks, yielding the modern sense of 'rising-grade'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an increase in the steepness or slope of a road, railway, or terrain section; an upward gradient.
The engineer measured the rising-grade of the railway to ensure safety for heavy trains.
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Noun 2
a trend of improving academic marks or scores (a rise in grade level or marks).
Her rising-grade over the semester reflected steady improvement in her studies.
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Adjective 1
describing a surface, route, or trend that has an increasing slope or level.
The drivers slowed down on the rising-grade section of the highway.
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Last updated: 2026/01/08 02:07