Gradatory

adj, noun

adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A series of steps from a cloister into a church.
Adjective
  1. 1
    Proceeding step by step; gradual. archaic

    "Could we have seen [Macbeth's] crimes darkening on their progress […] could this gradatory apostasy have been shown us."

  2. 2
    Suitable for walking, or able to walk (said of an animal, especially a bird, or of the limbs of an animal when adapted for walking on land).

    "Under this name we group together a large number of very similar forms; or if dissimilar, forms connected by gradatory specimens"

Adjective
  1. 1
    taking place by degrees wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
gradationalgradationalgraduated

Example

More examples

"Could we have seen [Macbeth's] crimes darkening on their progress […] could this gradatory apostasy have been shown us."

Etymology

Compare Latin gradatarium.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.