Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Medieval Latin
Origin: gradualis, from Latin gradus; GRADE1

gradual

 adjective
     
grad‧u‧al
1 happening slowly over a long period of time [≠ sudden]:
There has been a gradual change in climate.
the gradual decline in manufacturing industry
Education is a gradual process.
2 a gradual slope is not steep
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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