degree

A unit of measurement for temperature, or for angles, typically represented by the symbol °.

How to use

The term 'degree' is commonly used in weather and science contexts to refer to a unit of temperature (e.g. 'twenty degrees Celsius') or of angle measurement (e.g. 'a ninety-degree turn'). A notable nuance is that the abbreviated symbol '°' is often placed directly before the scale, as in '20°C'. Learners should be cautious not to confuse this everyday sense with the unrelated academic sense of 'degree', meaning a university qualification (e.g. 'a bachelor's degree').