stratosphere

[ strat-uh-sfeer ]

noun

1. the region of the upper atmosphere extending upward from the tropopause to about 30 miles (50 km) above the earth, characterized by little vertical change in temperature.
2. (formerly) all of the earth's atmosphere lying outside the troposphere.
3. any great height or degree, as the highest point of a graded scale.

stratosphere

/ ˌstrætəˈsfɛrɪk; ˈstrætəˌsfɪə /

noun

1. the atmospheric layer lying between the troposphere and the mesosphere, in which temperature generally increases with height

stratosphere

/ străt′ə-sfîr′ /

1. The region of the Earth's atmosphere extending from the tropopause to about 50 km (31 mi) above the Earth's surface. The stratosphere is characterized by the presence of ozone gas (in the ozone layer ) and by temperatures which rise slightly with altitude, due to the absorption of ultraviolet radiation.
2. See also exosphereSee illustration at atmosphere

stratosphere

1. The region of the atmosphere of the Earth above the troposphere . The stratosphere begins at an altitude of seven to ten miles and extends to approximately thirty miles.

Derived Forms

• stratospheric, adjective

Other Words From

• strat·o·spher·ic [strat-, uh, -, sfer, -ik, -, sfeer, -], strato·spheri·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stratosphere¹

First recorded in 1905–10; strat(um) + -o- + sphere

Example Sentences

As the 2012 second-round pick came into his own, the team hit the stratosphere, snapping a 40-year title drought.

From FiveThirtyEight

Since it doesn’t exist naturally in the stratosphere, though, scientists don’t actually know how it would react up there, meaning additional research and experiments are needed.

From Singularity Hub 

For those who have the money, two of the best ways to experience the Overview Effect will be private suborbital space flight and trips to the stratosphere on a high-altitude balloon.

From Ozy

From that flashpoint, a blue jet shot up into the stratosphere, climbing as high as about 52 kilometers over several hundred milliseconds.

From Science News

It sits in the stratosphere, a high-altitude band of the atmosphere far above the wind, clouds, and precipitation we feel on the ground.

From Popular-Science

But this is the kind of role, both manly and emotional, that launches an actor into the stratosphere.

From The Daily Beast

But her iconic turn in Clueless sent the MTV darling into the stratosphere.

From The Daily Beast

From some vantage points, the Stratosphere on the strip is visible, but it feels light years away.

From The Daily Beast

However, once she arrives at the bridge, her voice soars into the stratosphere.

From The Daily Beast

Investing in a career could help launch it into the stratosphere.

From The Daily Beast

Meta took the ship into the stratosphere, in a high ballistic arc that ended at the islands.

From Project Gutenberg

The stratosphere continues to a height of about 100,000 feet.

From Project Gutenberg

The present view is that fallout debris placed in the stratosphere remains in that hemisphere in which the explosion occurs.

From Project Gutenberg

There is disagreement on the precise modes of distribution of radioactive materials projected into the stratosphere.

From Project Gutenberg

Above it is the stratosphere, where there is no 40 turbulence and only a slow mixing of dry and cloudless air.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• atmosphere
• breeze
• wind