stratosphere

[strat-uh-sfeer]

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.

stratosphere

/ ˌstrætəˈsfɛrɪk, ˈstrætəˌsfɪə /

noun

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

stratosphere

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

stratosphere

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.

Other Word Forms

• stratospheric adjective
• stratospherical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stratosphere¹

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

Example Sentences

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

Read more on 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.

Read more on Barron's

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.

Read more on Barron's

And if AI doesn’t have a huge impact, what are all those AI stocks doing up in the stock market stratosphere?

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The agreement transformed the industry overnight and sent shares of MP into the stratosphere.

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Related Words

• atmosphere 
• breeze 
• wind