grade

Grade is a term with multiple related meanings used across different fields. In education, grade refers both to a level of schooling (for example, first grade or twelfth grade) and to a student’s performance on an assessment (a grade such as A, B, C, or a numeric percentage).

Grades as levels of schooling are organized by age or year and vary by country. In the United States, grades typically correspond to numbers 1 through 12; in other systems, "year" or "form" may be used instead of "grade."

To grade a task means to evaluate its quality using a rubric or criteria, producing a grade or score that signals relative merit.

Industrial uses: In mining and geology, grade denotes the concentration of a valuable material in ore, usually expressed as a percentage or parts per million; ore grade influences mining feasibility and economic value. In materials and manufacturing, "grade" can indicate a quality category, such as Grade A or Grade B, reflecting tolerances and intended use.

Construction and civil engineering: "Grade" describes the incline or slope of ground or a surface, such as road grade; "to grade" means to level earth or shape terrain, often during site preparation.

Other uses: The word also serves as a verb meaning to classify or categorize by quality or rank. Etymology traces to Latin gradus "step" through Old French and English. The exact meaning depends on context and region.