In #49 we looked at the DEGREE SIGN but now it’s time to look at the word “degree”.

The word “degree” occurs 102 times in Project Hail Mary (including in the plural).

The singular is used 21 times and the plural 81 times.

In the Earth sections, the word “degree” appears 4 times in the singular and 28 times in the plural. It used by Abby 1 time, by Bob Redell 2 times, by Dimitri 2 times, by Dr. Lokken 2 times, by Leclerc 1 time, by Stratt 2 times, and by Grace 11 times in direct speech and 11 times as narrator.

In the Space sections, the word “degree” appears 17 times in the singular and 53 times in the plural. Grace uses either form 58 times as narrator and the plural 8 times in direct speech. The Computer uses it 1 time and Rocky uses it 3 times.

In 56 instances, a temperature is being referred to.

In 43 instances, an angle is being referred to.

The other three instances are “second-degree burns” 20.047, “bachelor’s degree” 23.046, and “undergraduate degree” 26.013.

Most commonly, temperatures are given as “NUMBER degrees Celsius” although sometimes the units are omitted. On one occasion the equivalent in Fahrenheit is given. The hyphenated “NUMBER-degree-Celsius” adjective is used once. In 21.281 Rocky uses “NUMBER degrees of Celsius”.

By far the most common temperature is 96.415 which appears (with degree or the DEGREE SIGN) 19 times.

Most commonly, angles are given as “NUMBER degrees” but a hyphenated “NUMBER-degree” adjective is used with “angle“, “turn“, “tilt“, “pitch“, and “plane“. A possessive “NUMBER degrees’” is used with “inclination”, ”difference”, and ”yaw”.

Here’s a visualization of the relative frequencies across all sections and chapters of the book.