stratospheric
/stratəˈsfɛrɪk
/adjective
1Relating to the layer of the earth’s atmosphere above the troposphere, extending to about 50 km above the earth’s surface: the stratospheric ozone layer...
- During the test flight, the company successfully tested digital high-definition television broadcasts from its stratospheric transmitter.
- The stratospheric changes are most pronounced near the poles and between 20 and 40 degrees of latitude.
- Post made several successful stratospheric flights in his plane, the <i>Winnie Mae</i>.
1.1 informal Extremely high: stratospheric salaries and bonuses stratospheric prices...
- The valuations of virtually all tech companies in the 1990s rose to stratospheric heights, making dividends unnecessary.
- Some of 2003's increased costs were stratospheric.
- On this album, there seems to be little sign of any stratospheric career change in sight.
Derivatives
stratospherically
/ adverb ...- During the 1990s, all the major Hollywood distributors saw profits from DVD sales rise stratospherically.
- That kind of disparity is true for many of the stratospherically expensive apartments in the city.
- When many people think of Bordeaux, they think of stratospherically priced wines.