What does "stratum" mean?
One of several parallel horizontal layers of material arranged one on top of another.
Stratum
/ˈstɹeɪ.təm/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One of several parallel horizontal layers of material arranged one on top of another.
- Grammar: stratum is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: class, layer, appleton layer, band.
- Useful contrasts: egalitarianism, masses, unlayered.
- Usage evidence: The members of each stratum accept as their ideal of decency the scheme of life in vogue in the next higher stratum, and bend their energies to live up to that ideal.
How to use "stratum"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "stratum" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "stratum" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "stratum" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "stratum" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "stratum" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "class" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "stratum", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One of several parallel horizontal layers of material arranged one on top of another.
"It is built of alternate strata of brick and clay, and the sides correspond to the direction of the meridians and parallels."
- 2 a subpopulation divided into a stratified sampling wordnet
- 3 A layer of sedimentary rock having approximately the same composition throughout.
"An illuminating article in a recent issue of the Eastern Region's Civil Engineering News points out that where coal is worked over a reasonably large area, it is not only the whole of the strata above the workings, but also an area beyond which is liable to subside at varying rates after the coal has been removed."
- 4 an abstract place usually conceived as having depth wordnet
- 5 Any of the regions of the atmosphere, such as the stratosphere, that occur as layers.
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 people having the same social, economic, or educational status wordnet
- 7 A layer of tissue.
- 8 one of several parallel layers of material arranged one on top of another (such as a layer of tissue or cells in an organism or a layer of sedimentary rock) wordnet
- 9 A class of society composed of people with similar social, cultural, or economic status.
- 10 A layer of vegetation, usually of similar height.
- 11 The level of accuracy of a computer's clock, relative to others on the network.
"Computers that synchronize themselves to the stratum 1 time servers are known as stratum 2 time servers if they allow others to synchronize to them, and so on."
- 12 A historical layer of a language.
Example
"The members of each stratum accept as their ideal of decency the scheme of life in vogue in the next higher stratum, and bend their energies to live up to that ideal."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "stratum"?
Common synonyms include: class, layer, appleton layer, band, bed, bed.
How do you use "stratum" in a sentence?
The members of each stratum accept as their ideal of decency the scheme of life in vogue in the next higher stratum, and bend their energies to live up to that ideal.
How do you pronounce "stratum"?
Pronounced /ˈstɹeɪ.təm/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin strātum (“a spread for a bed, coverlet, quilt, blanket; a pillow, bolster; a bed”), neuter singular of strātus, perfect passive participle of sternō (“spread”). Doublet of estrade.