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stratum Definition

stra·tum (strāt′əm, strat′-)

noun pl. stra′ta--ə or -·tums

  1. a horizontal layer or section of material, esp. any of several lying one upon another; specif.,
    1. Biol. a layer of tissue
    2. Geol. a single layer of sedimentary rock
  2. a section, level, or division, as of the atmosphere or ocean, regarded as like a stratum
  3. any of the socioeconomic groups of a society as determined by birth, income, education, etc.

Etymology: ModL < L, a covering, blanket < stratus, pp. of sternere, to spread, stretch out, cover: for IE base see strew

stratum Synonyms

stratum

n.

seam, tier, level, bed; see layer.

stratum Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • peasantry: Clearly these parties had to lose all support and all influence among the workers and the toiling strata of the peasantry.
  • limestone: Thus the coal seams were laid down, together with their associated layers of clay, ironstone and strata of limestone.
  • sandstone: Humboldt compares some of the stony beds, when viewed from a distance, to strata of a schistose sandstone.
  • society: You can't avoid any stratum of American society.

Converse of object

  • overlie: High-resolution seismic image of polygonal fault systems feeding fluid expulsion pipes in the overlying strata.
  • fold: The rocks are generally Cambrian, which is pretty old, and you can see some folded strata here.
  • expose: Visit the quarry to see some exposed strata and search for fossils.

Adjective modifier

  • Paleozoic: The generally subdued relief associated with the underlying basement complex of highly folded Paleozoic strata provides the unity of this region.
  • Carboniferous: The bulk of coal deposits in the UK occur in Upper Carboniferous strata.
  • Mesozoic: Good exposures of range of Mesozoic strata - Mercia Mudstone Group to Glenarm Chalk Member.
  • Jurassic: The galleries reach back deep into the Purbeck ridge in horizontal Jurassic strata.
  • Cretaceous: Facies variation was also studied in Late Cretaceous strata.
  • geological: The old waterfall has been replaced by the geological strata & time trail.

Modifies a noun

  • corneum: Firstly, the matrix in which the cells of the stratum corneum are embedded is rich in lipid.
  • basale: In light skinned people, the melanin is concentrated deep in the epidermis, particularly in the stratum basale layer.

Noun used with modifier

  • chalk: The site has two boreholes from which water is drawn from the chalk strata below.
  • limestone: The limestone strata, resting on clay, dip inwards from above the entrance till they sink below the level of the river outside.
  • ruling: The leading socialist and trade union cliques have their roots intertwined with those of the ruling stratum of the Third Republic.
  • rock: Detailed chemical analyzes of specific rock strata are beginning to show evidence of impacts of large bodies with the Earth.
  • bearing: The survey looks at the history of the Rockingham Forest woodland together with the underlying iron bearing strata.