definitions

stratification

[ strat-uh-fi-key-shuh n ]
/ ˌstræt ə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR stratification ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or an instance of stratifying.
a stratified state or appearance: the stratification of ancient ruins from eight different periods.
Also called social stratification. Sociology. the hierarchical or vertical division of society according to rank, caste, or class: stratification of feudal society.
Geology.
  1. formation of strata; deposition or occurrence in strata.
  2. a stratum.

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RELATED WORDS

hierarchy, dominance, order, position, scale, grouping, placing, ranking

Nearby words

strathclyde, strathclyde region, strathspey, strati-, straticulate, stratification, stratificational grammar, stratified, stratified charge engine, stratified epithelium, stratified random sample

Origin of stratification

First recorded in 1610–20, stratification is from the Medieval Latin word strātificātiōn- (stem of strātificātiō). See strati-, -fication
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for social stratification (1 of 2)

social stratification

noun

sociol the hierarchical structures of class and status in any society

British Dictionary definitions for social stratification (2 of 2)

stratification

/ (ˌstrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən) /

noun

the arrangement of sedimentary rocks in distinct layers (strata), each layer representing the sediment deposited over a specific period
the act of stratifying or state of being stratified
sociol See social stratification

Derived Forms

stratificational, adjective

Word Origin for stratification

C17 (in the obsolete sense: the act of depositing in layers) and C18 (in the current senses): from New Latin strātificātiōnem, from stratificāre to stratify
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for social stratification

stratification

[ străt′ə-fĭ-kā′shən ]

n.

An arrangement in layers or strata.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for social stratification

stratification

[ străt′ə-fĭ-kā′shən ]

Formation or deposition of layers, as of rock, sediments, or atmospheric regions.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Culture definitions for social stratification

stratification

The process by which materials form or are deposited in layers, as in sedimentary rocks and some igneous rocks.

Note

The atmosphere and the ocean also exhibit stratification, with the warmer air or water occupying the upper layers.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.