stratum
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stra·tum
(strā′təm, străt′əm)n. pl. stra·ta (-tə) or stra·tums
1. A horizontal layer of material, especially one of several parallel layers arranged one on top of another.
2. Geology A bed or layer of sedimentary rock that is visually distinguishable from adjacent beds or layers.
3. Any of the regions of the atmosphere, such as the troposphere, that occur as layers.
4. Biology A layer of tissue: the epithelial stratum.
5. A level of society composed of people with similar social, cultural, or economic status.
6. One of a number of layers, levels, or divisions in an organized system: a complex poem with many strata of meaning.
[Latin strātum, a covering, from neuter past participle of sternere, to spread; see stratus.]
stra′tal (strāt′l) adj.
Usage Note: The standard singular form is stratum; the standard plural is strata (or sometimes stratums), not stratas.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
stratum
(ˈstrɑːtəm)n, pl -ta (-tə) or -tums
1. (Geological Science) (usually plural) any of the distinct layers into which sedimentary rocks are divided
2. (Biology) biology a single layer of tissue or cells
3. a layer of any material, esp one of several parallel layers
4. (Physical Geography) a layer of ocean or atmosphere either naturally or arbitrarily demarcated
5. (Sociology) a level of a social hierarchy that is distinguished according to such criteria as educational achievement or caste status
[C16: via New Latin from Latin: something strewn, from sternere to scatter]
ˈstratal adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
stra•tum
(ˈstreɪ təm, ˈstræt əm)n., pl. stra•ta (ˈstreɪ tə, ˈstræt ə) stra•tums.
1. a layer of material, naturally or artificially formed, often formed one upon another.
2. layer; level: an allegory with many strata of meaning.
3. a single bed of sedimentary rock, generally consisting of one kind of matter representing continuous deposition.
4. a layer of tissue; lamella.
5. a layer of vegetation in a plant community.
6. a layer of the ocean or the atmosphere distinguished by natural or arbitrary limits.
7. a level or grade of a people or population esp. with reference to social position and education: the lowest stratum of society.
[1590–1600; < Latin strātum literally, a cover, n. use of neuter of strātus, past participle of sternere to spread, strew]
usage: The usual singular of this noun, taken from Latin, is stratum: the lowest stratum in society. The plural is strata: Several strata of settlement were discovered in the evacuation. Occasionally strata occurs as a singular and stratas as a plural. Neither of these uses is well established, and they are often regarded as errors. See also agenda, criterion, media.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
stra·tum
(strā′təm, străt′əm) Plural strata or stratums
1. A layer of rock whose composition is more or less the same throughout. A particular rock stratum is visibly different from the rock strata above and below it.
2. A layer of tissue, as of the skin or another organ.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Stratum
one of a number of layers, 1902.Examples: stratum of society, 1850; of mythological thought, 1870; the lower social stratum, 1902.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
stratum
A single sedimentary layer.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
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| Noun | 1. |  stratum - 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)organism, being - a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently corneum, horny layer, stratum corneum - the outermost layer of the epidermis consisting of dead cells that slough off stratum lucidum - the layer of epidermis immediately under the stratum corneum in the skin of the palms and soles stratum granulosum - the layer of epidermis just under the stratum corneum or (on the palms and soles) just under the stratum lucidum; contains cells (with visible granules) that die and move to the surface malpighian layer, rete Malpighii, stratum basale, stratum germinativum - the innermost layer of the epidermis cambium - the inner layer of the periosteum layer - a relatively thin sheetlike expanse or region lying over or under another substratum, substrate - any stratum or layer lying underneath another superstrate, superstratum - any stratum or layer superimposed on another horizon - a specific layer or stratum of soil or subsoil in a vertical cross section of land seam, bed - a stratum of ore or coal thick enough to be mined with profit; "he worked in the coal beds" bed - (geology) a stratum of rock (especially sedimentary rock); "they found a bed of sandstone" |
| 2. | stratum - people having the same social, economic, or educational status; "the working class"; "an emerging professional class" people - (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively; "old people"; "there were at least 200 people in the audience" world, domain - people in general; especially a distinctive group of people with some shared interest; "the Western world" society - an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization age class - people in the same age range agriculture - the class of people engaged in growing food sodality, brotherhood, fraternity - people engaged in a particular occupation; "the medical fraternity" estate of the realm, the three estates, estate - a major social class or order of persons regarded collectively as part of the body politic of the country (especially in the United Kingdom) and formerly possessing distinct political rights labor, labour, proletariat, working class - a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages; "there is a shortage of skilled labor in this field" lower class, underclass - the social class lowest in the social hierarchy bourgeoisie, middle class - the social class between the lower and upper classes booboisie - class consisting of all those who are considered boobs peasantry - the class of peasants demimonde - a class of woman not considered respectable because of indiscreet or promiscuous behavior underworld - the criminal class yeomanry - class of small freeholders who cultivated their own land caste - a social class separated from others by distinctions of hereditary rank or profession or wealth caste - (Hinduism) a hereditary social class among Hindus; stratified according to ritual purity class structure - the organization of classes within a society upper class, upper crust - the class occupying the highest position in the social hierarchy ninja - a class of 14th century Japanese who were trained in martial arts and were hired for espionage and assassinations firing line - the most advanced and responsible group in an activity; "the firing line is where the action is" immigrant class - recent immigrants who are lumped together as a class by their low socioeconomic status in spite of different cultural backgrounds center - politically moderate persons; centrists old school - a class of people favoring traditional ideas market - the customers for a particular product or service; "before they publish any book they try to determine the size of the market for it" | |
| 3. | stratum - an abstract place usually conceived as having depth; "a good actor communicates on several levels"; "a simile has at least two layers of meaning"; "the mind functions on many strata simultaneously" place - an abstract mental location; "he has a special place in my thoughts"; "a place in my heart"; "a political system with no place for the less prominent groups" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
stratum
noun
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stratum
n pl <strata> (Geol, fig) → Schicht f
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