degree and stage share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. degree means “a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality”. stage means “any distinct time period in a sequence of events”. stage is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/dɪˈɡɹi/
1.n.a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
“a moderate grade of intelligence”
2.n.a specific identifiable position in a continuum or series or especially in a process
“a remarkable degree of frankness”
3.n.an award conferred by a college or university signifying that the recipient has satisfactorily completed a course of study
“he earned his degree at Princeton summa cum laude”
/ˈsteɪdʒ/
1.n.any distinct time period in a sequence of events
“we are in a transitional stage in which many former ideas must be revised or rejected”
2.n.a specific identifiable position in a continuum or series or especially in a process
“a remarkable degree of frankness”
3.n.a large platform on which people can stand and can be seen by an audience
“he clambered up onto the stage and got the actors to help him into the box”
| degree | stage | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /dɪˈɡɹi/ | /ˈsteɪdʒ/ |
| Said | di-GREE | stayj |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 7 | 10 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | grade, level | phase |
Full entry for degree · Full entry for stage · More comparisons