layer

American  

[ley-er] / ˈleɪ ər /

noun

1. a thickness of some material laid on or spread over a surface.

   a layer of soot on the windowsill; two layers of paint.

2. something lying over or under something else; a level or tier.

   There can be multiple layers of metaphor in a single poem.

3. a bed; stratum.

   alternating layers of basalt and sandstone.

4. a person or thing that lays (often used in combination): a bricklayer.

   a carpet layer;

   a bricklayer.

5. a hen kept for egg production.

6. one of several items of clothing worn one on top of the other.

7. Horticulture.

   1. a shoot or twig that is induced to root while still attached to the living stock, as by bending and covering with soil.

   2. a plant so propagated.

8. Ropemaking. a machine for laying rope or cable.

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verb (used with object)

layers, present (3rd person singular) layered, past participle, past layering present participle

1. to make a layer of.

2. to form or arrange in layers.

3. to arrange or wear (clothing) in layers.

   You can layer this vest over a blouse or sweater.

4. to cut (hair) in overlapping layers of different lengths.

   My hairdresser insisted on layering my hair at my last visit—I rather like it this way.

5. Horticulture. to propagate by layering.

verb (used without object)

layers, present (3rd person singular) layered, past participle, past layering present participle

1. to separate into or form layers.

2. (of a garment) to permit of wearing in layers; be used in layering.

   Frilly blouses don't layer well.

layer British  

/ ˈleɪə /

noun

1. a thickness of some homogeneous substance, such as a stratum or a coating on a surface

2. one of four or more levels of vegetation defined in ecological studies: the ground or moss layer, the field or herb layer, the shrub layer, and one or more tree layers

3. a laying hen

4. horticulture

   1. a shoot or branch rooted during layering

   2. a plant produced as a result of layering

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verb

1. to form or make a layer of (something)

2. to take root or cause to take root by layering

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interlayer
  verb (used with object)
• nonlayered
  adjective
• interlayer
  noun
• layerable
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has layered
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have layered
  perfect
• are layering
  progressive
• has been layering
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• layering
  participle
• have been layering
  perfect progressive
• is layering
  progressive 3rd person singular
• layers
  singular 3rd person
• am layering
  progressive 1st person singular

Past

• had layered
  perfect
• were layering
  progressive plural
• was layering
  progressive singular
• layered
  participle
• layered
  simple
• had been layering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will layer
  simple
• will have layered
  perfect
• will have been layering
  perfect progressive
• will be layering
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of layer

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English leyer, legger; see origin at lay ¹, -er ¹

Explanation

The noun layer describes a thin piece that's stacked on other thin pieces, like a layer of noodles in a lasagna dish. You can also apply a layer of paint to make your wall color more vivid. Layer can also be used figuratively to describe an abstract thickness or barrier. Celebrities are known to surround themselves with managers, agents, stylists, and friends — forming a layer between them and the prying public. Layer can also be a verb. You can layer your bed with blankets on a cold night, as a layer of ice forms on the sidewalks and streets outside.

Example Sentences

“With global commodity trade already facing notable logistical snares due to the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a resumption in Houthi attacks in the Red Sea would add yet another layer of complexity.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Few public figures generate stronger reactions in New York, and his appearance — as it usually does — adds another layer of politics, spectacle and unpredictability to an event that already feels larger than sports.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

AI is disproportionately compressing the bottom layer of white-collar production: drafting, summarizing, coding, documentation, reporting and routine analytical work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

There’s something about getting into those outfits that it just was this whole other transporting layer of becoming.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

Frank Powers slipped into a secret world, a hidden layer beneath the surface of everyday life.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• bed
• blanket
• coat
• floor
• row
• sheet
• slab
• thickness