/strat"euh fuy'/ , v. , stratified, stratifying .
v.t.
1. to form or place in strata or layers.
2. to preserve or germinate (seeds) by placing them between layers of earth.
3. Sociol. to arrange in a hierarchical order, esp. according to graded status levels.
v.i.
4. to form strata.
5. Geol. to lie in beds or layers.
6. Sociol. to develop hierarchically, esp. as graded status levels.
[ 1655-65; modeled on NL stratificare, equiv. to strati- STRATI- + -ficare -FY ]