stratosphere

American  

[strat-uh-sfeer] / ˈstræt əˌsfɪər /

noun

1. the region of the upper atmosphere extending upward from the tropopause to about 30 miles (50 km) above the earth, characterized by little vertical change in temperature.

2. (formerly) all of the earth's atmosphere lying outside the troposphere.

3. any great height or degree, as the highest point of a graded scale.

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stratosphere British  

/ ˌstrætəˈsfɛrɪk, ˈstrætəˌsfɪə /

noun

1. the atmospheric layer lying between the troposphere and the mesosphere, in which temperature generally increases with height

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stratosphere Scientific  

/ străt′ə-sfîr′ /

1. The region of the Earth's atmosphere extending from the tropopause to about 50 km (31 mi) above the Earth's surface. The stratosphere is characterized by the presence of ozone gas (in the ozone layer) and by temperatures which rise slightly with altitude, due to the absorption of ultraviolet radiation.

2. See also exosphere mesosphere thermosphere troposphere See illustration at atmosphere

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stratosphere Cultural  

1. The region of the atmosphere of the Earth above the troposphere. The stratosphere begins at an altitude of seven to ten miles and extends to approximately thirty miles.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• stratospherical
  adjective
• stratospheric
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of stratosphere

First recorded in 1905–10; strat(um) + -o- + sphere

Compare meaning

How does stratosphere compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• troposphere vs. stratosphere

Explanation

When an astronomer talks about the stratosphere, she means the second layer of Earth's atmosphere, about six miles above the surface of our planet. The atmosphere around Earth is divided into three sections — first, the troposphere, next the stratosphere, and finally the outer layer, the mesosphere. It sounds like outer space, but actually large commercial airplanes often fly at altitudes that reach the stratosphere. People also use the word stratosphere in a figurative way to mean "really high," as when a car salesman brags, "Our sales this month have skyrocketed into the stratosphere!"

Example Sentences

"He's a celebrity, but more than that, he is in that sort of stratosphere where he has the ability to tap on people for money," Pérez says.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

“Land of Hope and Dreams,” where the horns soar into the stratosphere and the entire gigantic, expansive 2026 arrangement is what happiness would sound like if it were audible.

From Salon • May 28, 2026

And if “innovative telecom business” is the floor for SpaceX stock, putting solar-powered data centers in space represents the stratosphere.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

In the stratosphere, the atmospheric layer stretching from about 11km to 50 km above Earth's surface, CO2 behaves more like a cooling system.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2026

His airplanes and spaceships have dwarfed distance, placed time in chains, and carved highways through the stratosphere.

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry

Related Words

• atmosphere
• breeze
• wind