layer

American  

[ley-er] / ˈleɪ ər /

noun

• layers
  plural

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• layers
  plural

Participles

• layering
  present
• layered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• layer
  simple
• layers
  simple
• have layered
  perfect
• has layered
  perfect
• am layering
  progressive
• are layering
  progressive
• is layering
  progressive
• have been layering
  perfect progressive
• has been layering
  perfect progressive

Past

• layered
  simple
• had layered
  perfect
• was layering
  progressive
• were layering
  progressive
• had been layering
  perfect progressive

Future

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

See Examples For:

layer layers layered layering

He is an amalgamation of several people the real Bourdain encountered in kitchens with an added layer of soulfulness that Banderas fully embodies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

This passive layer helps prevent the underlying metal from continuing to corrode.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

The phenomenon will present scientists with a rare opportunity to study the Sun's atmosphere and its outermost layer, as they seek to uncover secrets about solar winds and our star's magnetic field.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

And just above the visible surface sits a thin, pinkish layer called the chromosphere - only a few thousand kilometres thick.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

A CDO composed of nothing but the riskiest, mezzanine layer of subprime mortgages was not called a subprime-backed CDO but a “structured finance CDO.”

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Hilton argues that layers of rules of permits have effectively halted construction of smaller and more affordable starter homes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

These three overlapping layers are responsible for higher rates and not just in the U.S. but everywhere.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026

The fossil-bearing layers are also covered by hundreds of feet of rock that may contain additional specimens, suggesting that much more remains to be discovered.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

A handful of townspeople now mutter about seceding from the local council area, echoing a widening harrumph of displeasure with the various layers of government in Britain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Their exposed layers had as many colors as a magistrate’s robes, from the yellow sand of the desert to the red dirt of the nearby Kashgar plain.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

I studied the pastries while pretending not to listen: tea-infused buns knotted with candied citrus, laminated pastry layered with spiced cream cheese, craggy oat muffins dotted with boysenberry preserves.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

Instead, it’s a double-decker sandwich with two deli meats, Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing, all layered intricately between slices of thin rye bread.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Perks—the often-lavish extras layered on top of executive pay—are booming.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

Part of the problem is a lack of layered characters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

“Why wouldn’t she? I’m good with kids, and I’m responsible. I’m not just a musical genius with a pretty face. I’m layered, Lala,” he says with pride.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

To demonstrate, Weger starts layering a mannequin in her bedroom, picking from racks of clothes, handbags, color-coordinated shoes and jewelry nearby.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

“We treat developers like public services instead of businesses, layering on expectation after expectation,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

The horizontal layering allows some seismic waves to travel long distances, while the vertical intrusions appear to disrupt and weaken others.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026

From the scaffolding, restorers have been meticulously filling in damaged portions of the frescoes and conservatively layering paint over bare sections with delicate brushes, their hands protected by gloves.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

“Let me,” says the doctor, layering cotton strips to stop the seeping blood.

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Related Words

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