What is the meaning of stratified?

verb

• Divide society into social classes or castes.
  • usage: "Income distribution often stratifies a society"
  • synonyms: stratify
• Form layers or strata.
  • usage: "The rock stratifies"
  • synonyms: stratify
• Develop different social levels, classes, or castes.
  • usage: "Society stratifies when the income gap widens"
  • synonyms: stratify
• Form, arrange, or deposit in layers.
  • usage: "The fish are stratified in barrels"; "The rock was stratified by the force of the water"; "A statistician stratifies the list of names according to the addresses"
  • synonyms: stratify
• Render fertile and preserve by placing between layers of earth or sand.
  • usage: "stratify seeds"
  • synonyms: stratify

adjective

• Arranged in a sequence of grades or ranks.
  • usage: "stratified areas of the distribution"
  • synonyms: graded, ranked
• Deposited or arranged in horizontal layers.
  • usage: "stratified rock"
  • synonyms: bedded
• Used of society. ( socially hierarchical)
  • usage: "American society is becoming increasingly stratified"
  • synonyms: class-conscious