Word
stratification
Phoneticsstrat·i·fi·ca·tion
US/ˌstɹætəfɪˈkeɪʃən/
UK/stɹˌætɪfɪkˈeɪʃən/
Definition
n. the process of dividing something into layers. In nature, this often describes how soil or water is organized, or how people in a society are ranked.
n. the formation of layers or strata in a substance or system. In social sciences, it refers to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals or groups within a society.
Examples
“The soil shows clear signs of stratification after the rain.”
“The lake's thermal stratification prevents the mixing of oxygen-rich surface water with the deeper, colder layers.”
“Sociologists argue that economic stratification has increased significantly over the last decade, leading to a more pronounced divide between the wealthy and the working class.”
Examples
simple
“The soil shows clear signs of stratification after the rain.”
contextual
“The lake's thermal stratification prevents the mixing of oxygen-rich surface water with the deeper, colder layers.”
complex
“Sociologists argue that economic stratification has increased significantly over the last decade, leading to a more pronounced divide between the wealthy and the working class.”
Real-World Examples
“There were probably economic differences, but these did not lead to significant social stratification," says professor Martin Furholt, speaker for the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence and co-author of the study.” Etymology
From stratum + -ification.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/stratification