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What’s the Plural of Stratum?

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What’s the plural of “stratum”?

The plural of stratum is strata or stratums.

👍🏼Usage Note

We found a single stratum of ancient pottery.

The excavation revealed multiple geological strata.

The deepest archaeological strata was carefully removed.

Several different social stratum were identified in the study.

What’s the singular of strata?

Stratum is the singular of strata and stratums.

What does the word strata/stratum mean?

The word stratum is understood as either “a sheetlike mass of sedimentary rock or earth of one kind lying between beds of other kinds,” or “a socioeconomic level of society comprising persons of the same or similar status especially with regard to education or culture.”

Other Latin nouns in English

singular plural
stratum strata or stratums
referendum referenda or referendums
memorandum memoranda or memorandums
curriculum curricula or curriculums
addendum addenda or addendums
symposium symposia or symposiums

💡Study Tip

That “stratum” becomes “strata” (or “stratums”), associate “strata” with “layers,” as in layers of rock or social strata—multiple layers.

Examples of the word stratum used in sentences

1. In repairing the modern road just outside the south entrance to the tunnel, a stratum of carbonized corn, beans, & co.

2. The best source for deciding the wealth and social stratum of the willmakers is no doubt the probate material.

3. It was an enormous task that affected every stratum of society.

4. ‘Stratum‘ is a layer of rock in the ground.

5. An aquifer is a water – bearing rock stratum such as sandstone and chalk.

Examples of strata/stratums used in application:

1. Marsh, who, after 1870, discovered a great number of bird remains in the Cretaceous strata of North America.

2. The level of writing in that pop novel is several strata beneath that of serious fiction.

3. There was a strata of Paris which mere criticism of books fails to get hold of.  Ezra Pound

4. A Roman burial ground suggests stratas of corruption and decay.  Connie Fletcher, Booklist

5. The lower strata of society have been hit especially hard by this economic downturn.

Origin of the word stratum

From etymology online on stratum (n.):

“Horizontal layer,” 1590s, from Modern Latin special use of Latin stratum “thing spread out, coverlet, bedspread, horse-blanket; pavement”.

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Sources

  1. Definition of stratum.
  2. Sentences using stratum.
  3. Origin of stratum.

Work Sheet

Question 1 of 10

According to the blog post, which options are listed as acceptable plural forms of “stratum”?



What is the singular form of “strata”?



Which of these sentences contains a common usage error highlighted in the blog post?



Based on the examples of other Latin nouns provided, what is an acceptable plural form of “memorandum”?



The word “stratum” can refer to which of the following, according to the blog post?



The excavation uncovered several distinct geological .



A single of ancient artifacts was found by the archaeologists.



The policy affected people across multiple social .



We need to review the from the last board meeting.



The lowest of society has been severely impacted by the economic changes.





Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the plural of stratum?
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The plural of “stratum” is “strata” or “stratums”. Both forms are correct according to the post. You can use them for multiple layers, whether geological or social.

What’s the singular of strata?
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The singular of “strata” (and also “stratums”) is “stratum”. The post notes its correct use in examples like “We found a single stratum of ancient pottery.”

What does stratum or strata mean?
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“Stratum” is understood as either a sheet-like mass of rock/earth or a socioeconomic level of society. Think of it as a layer. “Strata” or “stratums” are multiple such layers.

How should I use the plural form strata?
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Since “strata” is a plural noun, use it with a plural verb. For example, the post shows “The excavation revealed multiple geological strata.” Avoid using a singular verb with “strata”.

Are there other words like stratum?
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Yes, the post mentions other Latin nouns that form plurals similarly, often with “-a” or “-ums”. Examples include referendum (referenda/referendums) and memorandum (memoranda/memorandums).

Yash, D. "What’s the Plural of Stratum?." Grammarflex, Jun 6, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/whats-the-plural-of-stratum/.

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