STRATUM (strata)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: strata   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does stratum mean? 

• STRATUM (noun)
  The noun STRATUM has 4 senses:

1. 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)

2. people having the same social, economic, or educational status

3. an abstract place usually conceived as having depth

4. a subpopulation divided into a stratified sampling

  Familiarity information: STRATUM used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STRATUM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Hypernyms ("stratum" is a kind of...):

layer (a relatively thin sheetlike expanse or region lying over or under another)

Domain category:

being; organism (a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stratum"):

cuticle; epidermis (the outer layer of the skin covering the exterior body surface of vertebrates)

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)

corium; derma; dermis (the deep vascular inner layer of the skin)

cambium (the inner layer of the periosteum)

paries; wall ((anatomy) a layer (a lining or membrane) that encloses a structure)

substrate; substratum (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)

bed; seam (a stratum of ore or coal thick enough to be mined with profit)

bed ((geology) a stratum of rock (especially sedimentary rock))

Derivation:

stratify (form layers or strata)

stratify (divide society into social classes or castes)

Sense 2

Meaning:

People having the same social, economic, or educational status

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

class; social class; socio-economic class; stratum

Context example:

an emerging professional class

Hypernyms ("stratum" is a kind of...):

people ((plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stratum"):

underworld (the criminal class)

craft; trade (people who perform a particular kind of skilled work)

market (the customers for a particular product or service)

old school (a class of people favoring traditional ideas)

center (politically moderate persons; centrists)

immigrant class (recent immigrants who are lumped together as a class by their low socioeconomic status in spite of different cultural backgrounds)

firing line (the most advanced and responsible group in an activity)

ninja (a class of 14th century Japanese who were trained in martial arts and were hired for espionage and assassinations)

upper class; upper crust (the class occupying the highest position in the social hierarchy)

fair sex; woman; womanhood (women as a class)

caste ((Hinduism) a hereditary social class among Hindus; stratified according to ritual purity)

caste (a social class separated from others by distinctions of hereditary rank or profession or wealth)

yeomanry (class of small freeholders who cultivated their own land)

demimonde (a class of woman not considered respectable because of indiscreet or promiscuous behavior)

peasantry (the class of peasants)

commonality; commonalty; commons (a class composed of persons lacking clerical or noble rank)

booboisie (class consisting of all those who are considered boobs)

bourgeoisie; middle class (the social class between the lower and upper classes)

lower class; underclass (the social class lowest in the social hierarchy)

labor; labour; proletariat; working class (a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages)

estate; estate of the realm; the three estates (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)

brotherhood; fraternity; sodality (people engaged in a particular occupation)

agriculture (the class of people engaged in growing food)

age class (people in the same age range)

domain; world (people in general; especially a distinctive group of people with some shared interest)

Holonyms ("stratum" is a part of...):

society (an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization)

Holonyms ("stratum" is a member of...):

class structure (the organization of classes within a society)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An abstract place usually conceived as having depth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

layer; level; stratum

Context example:

the mind functions on many strata simultaneously

Hypernyms ("stratum" is a kind of...):

place (an abstract mental location)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A subpopulation divided into a stratified sampling

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("stratum" is a kind of...):

subpopulation (a population that is part of a larger population)

 Context examples 

The concept does not refer to neoplasms located in the stratum basale.

(Basal Cell Neoplasm, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Upon application to the skin, laurocapram interacts with lipids in the stratum corneum and may enhance the ability of the skin to absorb a hydrophilic chemical.

(Laurocapram, NCI Thesaurus)

A common fungal infection of the stratum corneum of the skin, hair, or nails by a dermatophyte.

(Dermatophytosis, NCI Thesaurus)

Dermatophytosis involving the stratum corneum of the skin of the scalp and beard area.

(Dermatophytosis of Scalp and Beard, NCI Thesaurus)

Group of mostly hereditary disorders characterized by thickening of the palms and soles as a result of excessive keratin formation leading to hypertrophy of the stratum corneum (hyperkeratosis).

(Palmoplantar Keratoderma, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Persistence of the nuclei of the keratinocytes into the stratum corneum of the skin.

(Parakeratosis, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A skin disorder consisting of hypertrophy of the stratum corneum of the skin.

(Keratoderma, NCI Thesaurus)

For example, the book entries indicate which arm a given subject, Joe, is assigned to based on the fact that he's the 5th person in stratum group #2.

(Planned Randomization Book Allocation, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

Curiosity Mars rover will continue to climb to progressively higher and younger strata on Mount Sharp, investigating how long the ancient, water-rich environments found so far persisted as Mars dried out.

(NASA Weighs Use of Rover to Image Potential Mars Water Sites, NASA)

A morphologic finding indicating increased keratin formation, preservation of the nuclei in the superficial cells, and absence of the stratum granulosum in a skin or squamous mucosa sample.

(Hyperparakeratosis, NCI Thesaurus)