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

• stratospheric adjective
• stratospherical 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

Example Sentences

Throughout 2025, De Los has championed the rise of the Latino artists from their respective musical silos and into the broader global pop stratosphere.

From Los Angeles Times

Baylee said she thinks the negative reaction to the countdowns and album rollout are “growing pains” from Swift’s career reaching the stratosphere with the Eras Tour.

From Los Angeles Times

This layer resides in the stratosphere, which lies between 7 and 31 miles above Earth's surface.

From Science Daily

When the two teams collided in this year’s World Series, the ratings hit the stratosphere.

From Los Angeles Times

Bulls predict the technology will transform entire sectors from healthcare to financial services, once issues related to error correction are hammered out, sending the stocks into the stratosphere.

From Barron's

Related Words

• atmosphere
• breeze
• wind