gradient

Definitions

• A slope or incline.
• A rate of inclination or declination of a slope.
• (calculus) Of a function y = f(x) or the graph of such a function, the rate of change of y with respect to x equivalently, the inclination to the X axis of the tangent to the curve of the graph.
• (science) The rate at which a physical quantity increases or decreases relative to change in a given variable, especially distance.
• (analysis) A 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
• A gradual change in color. A color gradient; gradation.