verb, -fied, -fy⋅ing.| 1. | to form or place in strata or layers. |
| 2. | to preserve or germinate (seeds) by placing them between layers of earth. |
| 3. | Sociology. to arrange in a hierarchical order, esp. according to graded status levels. |
| 4. | to form strata. |
| 5. | Geology. to lie in beds or layers. |
| 6. | Sociology. to develop hierarchically, esp. as graded status levels. |