stratify

From French stratifier.

stratify (third-person singular simple present stratifies, present participle stratifying, simple past and past participle stratified)

1. (intransitive) To become separated out into distinct layers or strata.

   In this cut you can see how the sedimentary rock layers have been clearly stratified.

   Even without a pronounced social class system, people in a large society tend to stratify.

2. (transitive) To separate out into distinct layers or strata.

• stratum
• stratification
• stratosphere