To reduce in rank, status, or importance; to lower the quality or rating of something. Often used in business, credit ratings, or job classifications.
Compound of 'down' (lower position) + 'grade' (from Latin 'gradus' meaning 'step, degree'). The term emerged in the 19th century with railroad terminology for slopes, then extended to hierarchical systems in the 20th century.
The 'grad' root gives us 'graduate' (step by step), 'gradual' (by degrees), and 'degradation'! Downgrading is literally taking steps down the ladder—whether it's a credit rating, job position, or airline seat class.
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