A gradient is a gradual change from one thing to another, such as from dark to light or high to low. In math and science, it often describes how steep a slope is or how quickly something changes over distance.
“Gradient” comes from Latin “gradi,” meaning to step, and “gradus,” meaning step. The word originally referred to walking or stepping up or down and later to the steepness of slopes and changes.
Your eyes love gradients—smooth color changes are easier to look at than harsh edges. In math, a gradient is like an arrow that points in the direction where something increases the fastest.
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