gradation

/ɡɹəˈdeɪʃən/

//ɡɹəˈdeɪʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"gradation" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gradation” is uncommon English (frequency #59,425 among 2,313 “G” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#59,425
frequency rank, English
2,313
“G” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression.

Corpus desk

Index EN-gradation · gradation · English

gradation · rank #59,425 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #59,425
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,313
  • PHOTO-FINISH Gosport

Nearest frequency peer: Gosport (-1 rank slots)

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.

Long-tail ranks near “gradation”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “gradation” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for gradation
PropertyValue
Headwordgradation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɡɹəˈdeɪʃən/
Letters9
Frequency rank#59,425
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “gradation” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).gradationfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “Gosport” (#59,424), “gratings” (#59,426), “Grimaldi” (#59,427). Among 2,313 “G” headwords, “gradation” is #59,425. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

gradation is uncommon English at frequency #59,425 among 2,313 “G” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɡɹəˈdeɪʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 8 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for gradation, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French gradation. By surface analysis, grade + -ation. The correct English form is gradation, spelled G-R-A-D-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression.
  2. 2
    A passing by small degrees from one tone or shade, as of color, to another.
  3. 3
    The act of gradating or arranging in grades.
  4. 4
    Any degree or relative position in an order or series.
  5. 5
    A calibration marking.
  6. 6
    A gradual change within one parameter, or an overlapping of two blocks of sound.
  7. 7
    A diatonic succession of chords.
  8. 8
    Ablaut.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. A decade ago, the British department-store chain John Lewis built itself a long warehouse, painted in gradations of sky blue.
  2. the several gradations of the intelligent universe

Etymology

Borrowed from French gradation. By surface analysis, grade + -ation.

This word in other languages

Abstufung(Deutsch)gradação(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "gradation"?
"gradation" is spelled G-R-A-D-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɡɹəˈdeɪʃən/.
What does "gradation" mean?
As a noun, "gradation" means: A sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression.
How do you pronounce "gradation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gradation" is /ɡɹəˈdeɪʃən/. 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 "gradation"?
Borrowed from French gradation. By surface analysis, grade + -ation. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "gradation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Guinevere#59,429ginormous#59,419hackneyed#59,436fungicide#59,407

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list