Stratificationthe process of placing things or people into separate layers or levels is the arrangementthe way things are put together or organized of things or people into layers or levels. It is most often used for social classes, but it can also describe physical layers or processesactions or series of steps that make something happen that create layers.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˌstrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
Easy pronunciation: strat-ih-fi-KAY-shun (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress on KAY, with secondary stress on STRAT.
Used here in the social-class sense: the division of people into social strata or levels.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Stratification Meaning
the division of people into social classes or levels
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the condition of being arranged in social strata or classes within a group
Example: The report examines the stratification of income across different neighborhoods.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- social stratification — Direct synonym for the social-class sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Stratification
Meaning 2
an arrangement in layers
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a layered configuration
Example: The rock showed clear stratification after years of pressure.
Meaning 3
the process of forming layers
Part of speech: noun
Definition: forming or depositing in layers
Example: The stratification of the sediment happened over thousands of years.
Meaning 4
the process of placing people into social classes
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the act or process or arranging persons into classes or social strata
Example: Educational systems can contribute to the stratification of society.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- social stratification — Works when the sense is the social process itself.
Meaning 5
the storage of seeds in damp material to help them sprout later
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the placing of seeds in damp sand or sawdust or peat moss in order to preserve them or promote germination
Example: Seed stratification helps some plants germinate successfully in spring.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Stratification Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- social stratification
social-class process
- social stratification
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using stratification only for social classes and forgetting its other meanings.
- Confusing stratification with the separate gardening term for preparing seeds, which is a different sense.
- Treating any layered object as if stratification always means a social hierarchy.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does stratification mean in simple English?
It means an arrangement in layers or levels. In social contexts, it means the division of people into classes or ranks.
What is the main synonym of stratification?
For the social-class sense, the closest synonym is social stratification.
Is stratification always about society?
No. It can also describe physical layers, the process of forming layers, and a gardening method for seeds.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.