social differentiation: Meaning and Definition of

so'cial differentia'tion

Pronunciation: [key]
— Sociol. Sociol.
  1. the distinction made between social groups and persons on the basis of biological, physiological, and sociocultural factors, as sex, age, race, nationality, etc.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.