# stratum

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈstɹɑː.təm/ · frequency rank #43,396

## Definitions
1. One of several parallel horizontal layers of material arranged one on top of another.
2. A layer of sedimentary rock having approximately the same composition throughout.
3. Any of the regions of the atmosphere, such as the stratosphere, that occur as layers.
4. A layer of tissue.
5. A class of society composed of people with similar social, cultural, or economic status.
6. A layer of vegetation, usually of similar height.
7. The level of accuracy of a computer's clock, relative to others on the network.
8. A historical layer of a language.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin strātum (“a spread for a bed, coverlet, quilt, blanket; a pillow, bolster; a bed”), neuter singular of strātus, perfect passive participle of sternō (“spread”). Doublet of estrade.

## Easily confused with
- **Straus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stratum-vs-straus)
- **strat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strat-vs-stratum)
- **status** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/status-vs-stratum)
- **statue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/statue-vs-stratum)
- **strata** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strata-vs-stratum)
- **scrotum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scrotum-vs-stratum)

## Common misspellings (11)
`srtatum`, `sstratum`, `startum`, `stratmu`, `strattum`, `stratumm`, `strautm`, `strratum`, `strtaum`, `sttratum`, `tsratum`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/stratum