A step, stair, or
staircase.
One of a series of progressive steps
upward or downward, in quality, rank, acquirement, and the like; a
stage in progression; grade; gradation; as, degrees of vice
and virtue; to advance by slow degrees; degree of
comparison.
The point or step of progression to which
a person has arrived; rank or station in life; position.
Measure of advancement; quality; extent;
as, tastes differ in kind as well as in degree.
Grade or rank to which scholars are
admitted by a college or university, in recognition of their
attainments; as, the degree of bachelor of arts, master,
doctor, etc.
A certain distance or
remove in the line of descent, determining the proximity of blood;
one remove in the chain of relationship; as, a relation in the third
or fourth degree.
Three figures taken
together in numeration; thus, 140 is one degree, 222,140 two
degrees.
State as indicated by sum
of exponents; more particularly, the degree of a term is indicated by
the sum of the exponents of its literal factors; thus,
a2b3c is a term of the sixth
degree. The degree of a power, or radical, is denoted
by its index, that of an equation by the greatest sum of the
exponents of the unknown quantities in any term; thus,
ax4 + bx2 = c, and
mx2y2 + nyx = p, are both equations of
the fourth degree.
A 360th part of the
circumference of a circle, which part is taken as the principal unit
of measure for arcs and angles. The degree is divided into 60 minutes
and the minute into 60 seconds.
A division, space, or interval, marked on
a mathematical or other instrument, as on a thermometer.
A line or space of the
staff.
In celebration of Noah Webster's Birthday (October 16, 2009), we have prepared an updated website. 
