stratum

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stra·tum / ˈstrātəm; ˈstra-/ • n. (pl. stra·ta / ˈstrātə; ˈstra-/ ) 1. a layer or a series of layers of rock in the ground: a stratum of flint. ∎  a thin layer within any structure: thin strata of air.2. a level or class to which people are assigned according to their social status, education, or income: members of other social strata. ∎  Statistics a group into which members of a population are divided in stratified sampling.

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