# degree

/dɪˈɡɹi/ (US) · /dɪɡɹˈiː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/degree
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. university qualification

noun · CEFR A2

a qualification given by a college or university after you finish your studies.

For teachers: an academic rank or title conferred by a university or college as a certification of completion of a course of study.

- After four years of hard work, she finally received her degree in history.
- He decided to pursue a master's degree in international relations to improve his prospects in the diplomatic service.

### 2. temperature

noun · CEFR A2

a unit used to measure how hot or cold something is.

For teachers: a unit of measurement on a temperature scale such as Celsius, Fahrenheit, or Kelvin.

- Water freezes at zero degrees Celsius.
- The laboratory oven must be kept at exactly two hundred degrees to ensure the chemical reaction occurs correctly.

### 3. amount or extent

noun · CEFR B1

the amount or level of a feeling, quality, or action.

For teachers: the extent, measure, or scope of an action, condition, or relation.

- I agree with you to a certain degree, but I still have some concerns.
- The success of the project depends to a large degree on the cooperation between the different departments.

### 4. angles and math

noun · CEFR B1

a unit for measuring angles or parts of a circle.

For teachers: a unit of measurement of an angle, equal to one three-hundred-and-sixtieth of a full circle.

- A square has four corners that are all ninety degrees.
- The navigator calculated that the ship needed to turn thirty degrees to the east to avoid the storm.

### 5. geography

noun · CEFR B2

a unit used to show a position on a map using latitude and longitude.

For teachers: a unit of measurement for latitude and longitude used to identify a specific location on the Earth's surface.

- The city is located at thirty-five degrees north latitude.
- Each degree of latitude is approximately sixty-nine miles apart, regardless of the observer's position on the globe.

### 6. grammar comparison

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the different forms of an adjective, like 'big', 'bigger', and 'biggest'.

For teachers: any of the three stages (positive, comparative, and superlative) in the comparison of adjectives and adverbs.

- In the sentence 'He is the tallest', the word 'tallest' is in the superlative degree.
- The teacher explained how to form the comparative degree for irregular adjectives like 'good' and 'bad'.

## Examples

- The temperature dropped by one degree last night.
- After four years of hard work, she finally received her degree in computer science.
- The success of the negotiation depends to a large degree on the willingness of both parties to compromise on their initial demands.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.