gradient

plural gradients

1. A slope or incline.

   Synonyms: hill, incline, ramp, slope, grade

2. A rate of inclination or declination of a slope.

   Just beyond that station the first step is encountered and the rack resorted to, taking the line on a gradient of 1 in 9 over a steeply inclined bridge and through a spiral tunnel.

   1950 November, H. P. White, “The Furka-Oberalp Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 767

3. calculusThe ratio of the rates of change of a dependent variable and an independent variable, the slope of a curve's tangent.

   Synonyms: slope, angular coefficient

4. sciencesThe rate at which a physical quantity increases or decreases relative to change in a given variable, especially distance.
5. calculusA differential operator that maps each point of a scalar field to a vector pointed in the direction of the greatest rate of change of the scalar. Notation for a scalar field φ: ∇φ
6. A gradual change in color; a color gradient; gradation.

1. not comparableMoving by steps; walking.

   movable and Gradient Automata

   1648, John Wilkins, Mathematicall Magick. Or, The Wonders that may be Performed by Mechanicall Geometry. […], London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Sa[muel] Gellibrand […], →OCLC

2. not comparableRising or descending by regular degrees of inclination.

   the gradient line of a railroad

3. not comparableAdapted for walking, as the feet of certain birds.
4. not comparableoptimizationcalculusUsing the gradient to solve a problem.