degree of comparison

plural degrees of comparison

1. grammarA form of an adjective that indicates a different degree of the attribute the adjective denotes; like the positive, comparative and superlative forms.

   The degrees of comparison of good are good (positive), better (comparative) and best (superlative).

   4 more examples

   The word red is an adjective, in the dogmatical or positive degree of comparison.

   1820, James Brown, An American Grammar, page 43

   There are commonly reckoned three degrees of comparison, namely: the positive, comparative and superlative; though, strictly speaking, there are but two degrees, the positive being merely the state of the adjective itself.

   1833, Joseph Hervey Hull, English Grammar, by Lectures, page 55

   Among the degrees of comparison, some have enumerated equality; as when we say, "It is as sweet as honey."

   1851, Goold Brown, edited by Samuel U. Berrian, The Grammar of English Grammars, 10th edition, page 285

   The degrees of comparison possible are: positive (big), comparative (bigger), superlative (biggest), and elative (very big).

   2007, Rodney J. Decker, Koine Greek Reader: Selections from the New Testament, Septuagint, and Early Christian Writers, page 205

   Synonyms: degree