stratification

(countable, uncountable)The process leading to the formation or deposition of layers, especially of sedimentary rocks.

(countable, uncountable)(music) A layering of musical texture.

(countable, uncountable)(ecology) The vertical layering of vegetation in a forest.

(countable, uncountable)(sociology) Society's categorization of people into socioeconomic strata.

(countable, uncountable)(horticulture) The process of treating seeds to simulate natural conditions that the seeds must experience before germination can occur, often involving exposure to cold.

(countable, uncountable)A classification or arrangement of things into different categories or groups.