GRADUATE

I. noun Date: 15th century a holder of an academic degree or diploma, a ~d cup, cylinder, or flask, II. adjective Date: 15th century holding an academic degree or diploma, of, relating to, or engaged in studies beyond the first or bachelor's degree , III. verb (-ated; -ating) Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin graduatus, past participle of graduare, from Latin gradus step, degree Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to grant an academic degree or diploma to, to be ~d from, 2. to mark with degrees of measurement, to divide into grades or intervals, to admit to a particular standing or grade, intransitive verb to receive an academic degree or diploma, to pass from one stage of experience, proficiency, or prestige to a usually higher one, to change gradually, graduator noun Usage: In the 19th century the transitive sense (1a) was prescribed; the intransitive was condemned. The intransitive prevailed nonetheless, and today it is the sense likely to be prescribed and the newer transitive sense (1b) the one condemned. All three are standard. The intransitive is currently the most common, the new transitive the least common.