Webster's English Dictionary

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stratum

stra.tum \'stra-t-*m, 'strat-\ \'stra-t-*, 'strat-\ n or stra.ta [NL, fr. 
   L, spread, bed, fr. neut. of stratus, pp. of sternere to s] pl pread out - 
   more at STREW 1: a bed or layer artificially made  2a: a sheetlike mass of 
   sedimentary rock or earth of one kind lying between  beds of other kinds 
   2b: a region of the sea or atmosphere that is analogous to a stratum of the 
    earth 2c: a layer of tissue {deep ~ of the skin}  2d: a layer in which 
   archaeological material (as artifacts, skeletons, and  dwelling remains) is 
   found on excavation 3a: a part of a historical or sociological series 
   representing a period or  a stage of development 3b: a socioeconomic level 
   of society comprised of persons of the same or si milar status esp. with 
   regard to education or culture 4: one of the sets considered as an 
   integrated whole that make up an ordere d, layered, or superimposed group 
   of sets {a statistical sampline of various population strata}