stratify

verb

strat·​i·​fy ˈstra-tə-ˌfī 

stratified; stratifying

transitive verb

1

: to form, deposit, or arrange in strata

2

a

: to divide or arrange into classes, castes, or social strata

b

: to divide into a series of graded statuses

intransitive verb

: to become arranged in strata

Examples of stratify in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The organizations were stratified so that companies with 1,000 to 5,000 employees were deemed midsize, while companies with more than 5,000 employees were considered large employers. —Rachel Rabkin Peachman, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025

The Selectivity Divide The higher education landscape is becoming increasingly stratified. —Scott White, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025

The obese cohort was further stratified into individuals with low-, moderate-, and high-risk obesity. —New Atlas, 25 Feb. 2025

The book is set in Apex City, a far-future Bangalore that’s stratified along a bell curve, where humanity is shaped by algorithms and a corporation’s push for productivity. —Erika Swyler, People.com, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin stratificare, from stratum + Latin -ificare -ify

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for stratify

• abscissae
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify

Kids Definition

stratify

verb

strat·​i·​fy ˈstrat-ə-ˌfī 

stratified; stratifying

: to form, deposit, or arrange in layers

stratified rock