gradatim

/ɡɹæ.dæˈtiːm/

//ɡɹæ.dæˈtiːm// adv

"gradatim" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gradatim” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adverb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Step by step; gradually and methodically.

Corpus desk

Index EN-gradatim · gradatim · English

gradatim · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "G" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for gradatim
PropertyValue
Headwordgradatim
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ɡɹæ.dæˈtiːm/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “gradatim” in English

gradatimsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

gradatim is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadverb, transcribed /ɡɹæ.dæˈtiːm/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Step by step; gradually and methodically.".

gradatim doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Attested in English since 1575–1585: from Latin gradātim, from gradus (“step”). The correct English form is gradatim, spelled G-R-A-D-A-T-I-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    Step by step; gradually and methodically.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how gradatim appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. This trend of thought and preaching and practice resulted gradatim in the junior certificate, to mark the distinction between university and secondary…

Etymology

Attested in English since 1575–1585: from Latin gradātim, from gradus (“step”).

Synonyms

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "gradatim"?
"gradatim" is spelled G-R-A-D-A-T-I-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ɡɹæ.dæˈtiːm/.
What does "gradatim" mean?
As an adverb, "gradatim" means: Step by step; gradually and methodically.
How do you pronounce "gradatim"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gradatim" is /ɡɹæ.dæˈtiːm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "gradatim"?
Attested in English since 1575–1585: from Latin gradātim, from gradus (“step”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list