Associations to the word «Gradual»

Wiktionary

GRADUAL, adjective. Proceeding by steps or small degrees; advancing step by step, as in ascent or descent or from one state to another; regularly progressive; slow.
GRADUAL, noun. (Roman Catholic Church) An antiphon or responsory after the epistle, in the Mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps.
GRADUAL, noun. (Roman Catholic Church) A service book containing the musical portions of the Mass.

Dictionary definition

GRADUAL, noun. (Roman Catholic Church) an antiphon (usually from the Book of Psalms) immediately after the epistle at Mass.
GRADUAL, adjective. Proceeding in small stages; "a gradual increase in prices".
GRADUAL, adjective. (of a topographical gradient) not steep or abrupt; "a gradual slope".

Wise words

A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged; it is the skin of a living thought and may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and time in which it is used.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.