ascent

Short definition from Wiktionary

Noun

1. 1
   The act of ascending; a motion upwards.
2. 2
   The way or means by which one ascends.
3. 3
   An eminence, hill, or high place.
4. 4
   The degree of elevation of an object, or the angle it makes with a horizontal line; inclination; gradient; steepness
5. 5
   The ascender height in a typeface.
6. 6
   An increase, for example in popularity or hierarchy