From Medieval Latin graduālis, from Latin gradus, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰradʰ-, *gʰredʰ- ("to walk, go").

• (RP) IPA: /ˈɡɹadʒuəl/, /ˈɡɹadjuəl/, /ˈɡɹadʒəl/
• (America) IPA: /ˈɡɹæd͡ʒuəl/, /ˈɡɹæd͡ʒəl/
• (New Zealand) IPA: /ˈɡɹɛdʒʉɘl/, /ˈɡɹɛdʒɘl/

gradual

1. Proceeding or advancing by small, slow, regular steps or degrees

   a gradual increase of knowledge; a gradual decline

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗:

     Creatures animate with gradual life / Of growth, sense, reason, all summed up in man.

• stepwise

• sudden
• abrupt

• French: graduel
• German: allmählich, graduell, schrittweise zunehmend
• Italian: graduale
• Portuguese: gradual
• Russian: постепе́нный
• Spanish: gradual, paulatino

gradual (plural graduals)

1. (Christianity) An antiphon or responsory after the epistle, in the Mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps.
2. (Christianity) A service book containing the musical portions of the Mass.

• Italian: graduale

• Italian: graduale