stratification

American  

[strat-uh-fi-key-shuhn] / ˌstræt ə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of stratifying.

2. a stratified state or appearance.

   the stratification of ancient ruins from eight different periods.

3. Also called social stratification.  Sociology. the hierarchical or vertical division of society according to rank, caste, or class.

   stratification of feudal society.

4. Geology.

   1. formation of strata; deposition or occurrence in strata.

   2. a stratum.

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stratification British  

/ ˌstrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. the arrangement of sedimentary rocks in distinct layers (strata), each layer representing the sediment deposited over a specific period

2. the act of stratifying or state of being stratified

3. sociol See social stratification

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stratification Scientific  

/ străt′ə-fĭ-kā′shən /

1. Formation or deposition of layers, as of rock, sediments, or atmospheric regions.

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stratification Cultural  

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

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Discover More

The atmosphere and the ocean also exhibit stratification, with the warmer air or water occupying the upper layers.

Other Word Forms

• stratificational
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of stratification

First recorded in 1610–20, stratification is from the Medieval Latin word strātificātiōn- (stem of strātificātiō ). See strati-, -fication

Explanation

Stratification means arranging something, or something that has been arranged, into categories. By the time you figure out the complex social stratification of your high school class, from jocks to nerds and everything between, you’re ready to graduate. Stratification is a system or formation of layers, classes, or categories. Stratification is used to describe a particular way of arranging seeds while planting, as well as the geological layers of rocks. But like so many science words, somehow it’s not content to stay in the scientific realm, and must also have a place in the social sphere, where its job is to categorize and arrange people into groups: upper, middle, and lower classes, for example.

Example Sentences

In the 1970s, she observed a stratification between groups of chimpanzees at a national park in Tanzania, with increasing aggression as males screeched and threw objects.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026

His measurement of stratification begins in 1975, which gives you a low growth rate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

The idea was to investigate whether architectural differences in the platforms would signify if there were social or economic stratification within the community.

From BBC • Jan. 1, 2026

"This AI-driven biomarker has the potential to enhance cardiovascular risk stratification and guide preventive care without additional testing or radiation."

From Science Daily • Dec. 14, 2025

Nowhere is the stratification of education more vivid than in Virginia, where Thomas Jefferson once tried, and failed, to set up the nation’s first public high schools.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times