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"
the highest power of a term or variable
"In the polynomial $x^2 + 3x + 5$, the highest degree is two because no variable is raised to any higher power."
a unit of temperature on a specified scale
"the game was played in spite of the 40-degree temperature"
the seriousness of something (e.g., a burn or crime)
"murder in the second degree"
"a second degree burn"
A stage of proficiency or qualification in a course of study, now especially an award bestowed by a university or, in some countries, a college, as a certification of academic achievement. (In the United States, can include secondary schools.)
"She finally received her degree after working hard through four years of university studies."
In plain English: A degree is a specific level of something, like how hot or cold it is outside.
"The temperature outside dropped ten degrees overnight."
Usage: Use "degree" to refer specifically to an academic award granted by a university or college upon completing a course of study. Do not use it for general levels of temperature, intensity, or measurement unless specifying a field like science or mathematics.
The word degree comes from the Latin gradus, meaning a step or stair. It entered English via Old French as degré.