# stratigraphy

/stɹætˈɪɡɹəfi/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stratigraphy
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

the study of layers of rock and soil under the ground. It helps scientists tell how old things are by looking at which layer they are in.

For teachers: a branch of geology concerned with the order, composition, and age of layered rocks and sediments. Relies on the principle of superposition to establish relative chronology across sites.

## Examples

- Scientists use stratigraphy to date ancient tools.
- The archaeologists study the stratigraphy of the trench to see which burial layer is older.
- By correlating the stratigraphy of coastal cliffs with deep-sea cores, researchers reconstructed sea-level changes that spanned several glacial cycles.

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