Plural of gradus; steps, degrees, or stages of advancement in a process or hierarchy.
From Latin 'gradus' meaning 'step' or 'grade,' related to the verb 'gradi' meaning 'to walk.' The term evolved through medieval and scientific usage to describe sequential levels or stages.
Medieval scholars used 'gradus' to describe the step-by-step progression in logic and philosophy—it's the same root that gave us 'grade,' 'gradient,' and 'gradual,' all describing things that move step-by-step rather than all at once.
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