ˈɑːkdɪˌɡɹiː ˈɑɹkdɪˌɡɹiː dɪˈɡɹiː ɡɹeɪd ˈlɛv.əl steɪd͡ʒ a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality a moderate grade of intelligence a high level of care is required it is all a matter of degree the seriousness of something (e.g., a burn or crime) murder in the second degree a second degree burn the highest power of a term or variable an award conferred by a college or university signifying that the recipient has satisfactorily completed a course of study he earned his degree at Princeton summa cum laude a measure for arcs and angles there are 360 degrees in a circle a unit of temperature on a specified scale the game was played in spite of the 40-degree temperature a specific identifiable position in a continuum or series or especially in a process a remarkable degree of frankness at what stage are the social sciences?