This refers to the different levels of comparison made by adjectives and adverbs. There are three degrees, positive, comparative, and superlative. For example:
The good dog. (positive; no comparison implied)
The better dog. (comparative; comparison between two implied)
The best dog. (superlative; comparison between three or more implied)
Adverbs can also have degree:
She ran fast.
She ran faster.
She ran fastest.
Greek:
Most adjectives form the comparative by adding -τερος (-τέρᾱ, -τερον), and the superlative by adding -τατος (-τάτη, -τατον), to the masculine stem.
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| δίκαιος (δικαιο-) just | δικαιό-τερος | δικαιό-τατος |
| μῑκρός (μῑκρο-) small | μῑκρό-τερος | μῑκρό-τατος |
| πικρός (πικρο-) bitter | πικρό-τερος | πικρό-τατος |
| πονηρός (πονηρο-) bad | πονηρό-τερος | πονηρό-τατος |
| σαφής (σαφεσ-) plain | σαφέσ-τερος | σαφέσ-τατος |
| εὐκλεής (εὐκλεεσ-) famous | εὐκλεέσ-τερος | εὐκλεέσ-τατος |
| μέλᾱς (μελαν-) black | μελάν-τερος | μελάν-τατος |
| γλυκύς (γλυκυ-) sweet | γλυκύ-τερος | γλυκύ-τατος |
| (πρέσβυς) (πρεσβυ-) old | πρεσβύ-τερος | πρεσβύ-τατος |
cf. principle 32.