noun / verb

grade

The level or slope of a ground surface.

The road climbs a steep grade.

Etymology

Latin gradus means a step or degree. The ground sense uses that idea of measured level or progression to describe elevation and the amount of rise along a slope.

More examples

Workers graded the ground before building.
The path's grade became gentler near the top.
They are grading the site for drainage.

Forms

grade · grades · graded · grading

Similar words

slope: The incline of a surface.
level: As a verb, makes a surface even rather than necessarily setting a slope.