Stratification
noun /ˌstræt.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ — The division of society into hierarchical layers.
Definition
The hierarchical division of society into distinct layers (strata) based on attributes such as wealth, status, education, or class. Social stratification determines access to resources, power, and opportunity — and tends to reproduce itself across generations.
Beyond the definition
Stratification is the invisible architecture of a society — the floor and ceiling that most people never think about because they have never tried to move past them.
Origin & history
From Latin 'stratum' (layer) + '-fication'. The geological metaphor — layers of rock — was applied to social structure by sociologists in the 19th century.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Caste systems are stratification made absolute — the layer you're born into is the layer you occupy for life.
Class is stratification made invisible — the English genius for making hierarchy seem natural and inevitable.
She had crossed two strata in one generation: from poverty to comfort, from invisibility to a room with an opinion.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Stratification” when the meaning fits your context: The hierarchical division of society into distinct layers (strata) based on attributes such as wealth, status, education, or class. Social stratification determines access to resources, power, and opportunity — and tends to reproduce itself across generations.
Synonyms
class system, hierarchy, social layers, ranking
Antonyms
egalitarianism, classlessness
Related words
Stratification vs inequality
Stratification is the systematic structure of layers within a society. Inequality is the unequal distribution of resources, which stratification produces.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Hierarchical People On Stone Stairs
People on a stone staircase occupy distinct, rigid levels based on their clothing styles, highlighting a clear, vertical societal division.
Stratification is the division of society into rigid, hierarchical layers. The arrangement on the stairs visualizes this division, showing how social position dictates access and is reproduced through these distinct, vertical boundaries.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Stratification" mean?
Stratification is noun meaning: The division of society into hierarchical layers.. The hierarchical division of society into distinct layers (strata) based on attributes such as wealth, status, education, or class. Social stratification determines access to resources, power, and opportunity — and tends to reproduce itself across generations.
Where does the word "Stratification" come from?
From Latin 'stratum' (layer) + '-fication'. The geological metaphor — layers of rock — was applied to social structure by sociologists in the 19th century.