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)

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)

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

• interlayer noun
• layerable adjective
• nonlayered adjective

Etymology

Origin of layer

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

Example Sentences

Because sex determination plays a role in how species form, this adds another layer to understanding evolution.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

"Today's decision gives thousands of people in that situation an extra layer of protection, on top of the medicines they are already taking."

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Sanctions add another layer of complication, lawyers said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

There is even an arcade-style game, "Water Gun Fun" -- a reminder that at CPAC, politics is rarely presented without a layer of spectacle.

From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026

When the men resumed their burdens the next day, they had a new layer of heavy, wet slush to trudge through, and more wet snow was falling steadily.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

Related Words

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