superstratum

[ soo-per-strey-tuh m, -strat-uh m, soo-per-strey-tuh m, -strat-uh m ]
/ ˈsu pərˌstreɪ təm, -ˌstræt əm, ˌsu pərˈstreɪ təm, -ˈstræt əm /

noun, plural su·per·stra·ta [soo-per-strey-tuh, -strat-uh, soo-per-strey-tuh, -strat-uh] /ˈsu pərˌstreɪ tə, -ˌstræt ə, ˌsu pərˈstreɪ tə, -ˈstræt ə/, su·per·stra·tums.

an overlying stratum or layer.
Historical Linguistics. a set of features of a language traceable to the influence of a language formerly spoken within the same society by a dominant group: English has a Norman-French superstratum.
Compare substratum.

Origin of superstratum

1800–10; super- + stratum; cf. substratum

Example sentences from the Web for superstratum

British Dictionary definitions for superstratum

superstratum
/ (ˌsuːpəˈstrɑːtəm, -ˈstreɪ-) /

noun plural -ta (-tə) or -tums

geology a layer or stratum overlying another layer or similar structure
linguistics the language of a conquering or colonizing population as it supplants that of an indigenous population, as for example French and English in the Caribbean Compare substratum (def. 8)