Main Entry:

strato·sphere

Pronunciation:

\ˈstra-tə-ˌsfir\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

French stratosphère, from New Latin stratum + -o- + French sphère sphere, from Latin sphaera

Date:

1909

1 : the part of the earth's atmosphere which extends from the top of the troposphere to about 30 miles (50 kilometers) above the surface and in which temperature increases gradually to about 32° F (0° C) and clouds rarely form 2 : a very high or the highest region on or as if on a graded scale <construction costs in the stratosphere> <the celebrity stratosphere>

— strato·spher·ic \ˌstra-tə-ˈsfir-ik, -ˈsfer-\ adjective

— strato·spher·i·cal·ly \-i-k(ə-)lē\ adverb