gradient

adj. sloping, rising or descending gradually

n. slope, incline; rate of ascent or descent

In vector calculus, the gradient of a scalar field is a vector field which points in the direction of the greatest rate of increase of the scalar field, and whose magnitude is the greatest rate of change.A generalization of the gradient, for functions on a Banach space which have vectorial values, is the Jacobian.
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Noun
1. a graded change in the magnitude of some physical quantity or dimension
(hypernym) change
(hyponym) gravity gradient
2. the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the horizontal; "a five-degree gradient"
(synonym) slope
(hypernym) position, spatial relation
(hyponym) grade

n. gradient, slope, incline

n. gradient, slope, incline; rate of ascent or descent