1. One of the divisions on the scale of a measuring instrument such as a thermometer, barometer, etc. See Comparative Temperature Scales appendix. See scale. 2. The 360th part of the circumference of a circle. 3. A position or rank within a graded series. 4. A measure of damage to tissue. [Fr. degré; L. gradus, a step]
- degrees of freedom in statistics, the number of independent comparisons that can be made between the members of a sample ( e.g., subjects, test items and scores, trials, conditions); in a contingency table it is one less than the number of row categories multiplied by one less than the number of column categories.
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de·gree di-'grē n
1) a measure of damage to tissue caused by injury or disease see FIRST-DEGREE BURN, SECOND-DEGREE BURN, THIRD-DEGREE BURN
2 a) a title conferred on students by a college, university, or professional school on completion of a unified program of study
b) an academic title conferred honorarily
3) one of the divisions or intervals marked on a scale of a measuring instrument specif any of various units for measuring temperature
4) a 360th part of the circumference of a circle
de·greed -'grēd adj
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de·gree (də-greґ) 1. a grade or rank within a series; especially, a rank awarded to scholars by a college or university. 2. a unit of measure of temperature. 3. a unit of measure of arcs and angles.Medical dictionary. 2011.