social differentiation

American  

noun

Sociology.

1. the distinction made between social groups and persons on the basis of biological, physiological, and sociocultural factors, as sex, age, or ethnicity, resulting in the assignment of roles and status within a society.

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Example Sentences

"But the fact that we do have different sizes it you know it begs the question if there is some social differentiation sitting behind that," he said.

From BBC • Jan. 1, 2026

Evidence from the few discovered burial sites dating to around 2000 BCE supports the suggestion that wealth contributed to social differentiation even then.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

Increasing exchange between Neolithic cultures and the prominence of war may also have led to greater social differentiation.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

There is no reason why we should not repeat the experiences of peoples who have gone further upon the road of social differentiation than we have and develop like them parliamentary government.

From Behind the Mirrors The Psychology of Disintegration at Washington by Gilbert, Clinton W. (Clinton Wallace)

Regardless of the difference in languages, language use is probably the common experience through which natural changes are acknowledged and social differentiation effected.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai