Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense layers, present participle layering, past tense, past participle layered
1. countable noun
A layer of a material or substance is a quantity or piece of it that covers a surface or that is between two other things.
A fresh layer of snow covered the street. [+ of]
...the depletion of the ozone layer.
Arrange all the vegetables except the potatoes in layers.
Synonyms: covering, film, cover, sheet More Synonyms of layer
2. countable noun
If something such as a system or an idea has many layers, it has many different levels or parts.
...an astounding ten layers of staff between the factory worker and the chief executive. [+ of]
Critics and the public puzzle out the layers of meaning in his photos. [+ of]
Synonyms: tier, level, seam, stratum More Synonyms of layer
3. verb
If you layer something, you arrange it in layers.
Layer the potatoes, asparagus and salmon in the tin. [VERB noun]
By lifting and layering her hair, Michael created a lighter frame for her face. [VERB noun]
layer in British English
(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
a.
a shoot or branch rooted during layering
b.
a plant produced as a result of layering
verb
5.
to form or make a layer of (something)
6.
to take root or cause to take root by layering
Word origin
C14 leyer, legger, from lay1 + -er1
layer in American English
(ˈleɪər)
noun
1.
a person or thing that lays
2.
a single thickness, coat, fold, or stratum
3.
a shoot or twig (of a living plant) bent down and partly covered with earth so that it may take root
verb intransitive
4.
to form layers
verb transitive
5.
to grow (a plant) by means of a layer (sense 3)
6.
to arrange in or as if in layers
7.
to trim and style (hair) to hang in layers
COBUILD Collocations
layer
extra layer
protective layer
Examples of 'layer' in a sentence
layer
How many layers some of these stories went through was surprising to me.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
There are many layers to this one.
The Sun (2017)
Spread a layer of the frosting on top and add another layer of cake.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Nor will they help much if most of the spray is going into the ozone layer rather than your lungs.
The Sun (2017)
The surface layer is oak, with a plywood core.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Season, then stir together and shake the pan so the veg are in one layer.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Pour half the eggs into the pan, tipping the pan to make a thin layer.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
You get on with your job, just as you always have, sheltered from politics by many layers of secrecy and officialdom.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
It has layer upon layer of meaning.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
When these chemicals reach the stratosphere they help to destroy the ozone layer.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This forms the second layer of story.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Your question about forgiveness contains many layers that span so many decades of your life.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The dirt has to be applied in layers to make it adhere properly.
Christianity Today (2000)
The layer of snow is not very deep and changeable.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The peel works by removing surface layers of aged or damaged skin.
The Sun (2011)
The orchestral arrangements added fresh layers of drama and grandeur to her already baroque style.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He will just layer my hair and tidy it up a little.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Spread a thin layer of the mixture over the bottom of a serving dish.
The Sun (2014)
This just adds another layer of suffering for her parents.
The Sun (2009)
So is he short of one layer of skin?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
You ideally want four or five layers.
The Sun (2014)
Drain and arrange in layers with a sliced onion in an ovenproof dish.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
What proof was there that the ozone layer was thinning?
Radford, Tim & Leggett, Jeremy The Crisis of Life on Earth - our legacy from the second millenium (1990)
Spoon on top of the fish filling so that the croutons form a single layer.
The Sun (2015)
Workers on sensitive projects have to pass through many layers of security.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Place one square of foil on top of another to make a double layer.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He said they form when a hard layer on snow is covered by a dense layer.
The Sun (2007)
The elimination of the surface layers got underway and skip after skip was filled and removed.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Take random sections from the bottom layer of your hair and apply the colour in streaks or just at the tips.
The Sun (2013)
Cover the pan with a double layer of tin foil, sealing it tightly around the edges.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
A bowl was not just a bowl but imbued through decoration and use with layers of common meaning.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He would write a song, then its harmonies, and add ten layers of voice tracks if necessary.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
I realised you don't need to make the most amazing sauce with ten layers of flavour: food can be simple and beautiful.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
layer
British English: layer /ˈleɪə/ NOUN
A layer of a material or substance is a quantity or flat piece of it that covers a surface or that is between two other things.
A fresh layer of snow covered the street.
American English: layer
Arabic: طَبَقَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: camada
Chinese: 层
Croatian: sloj
Czech: vrstva
Danish: lag
Dutch: laag
European Spanish: capa
Finnish: kerros
French: couche strate
German: Schicht Abschnitt
Greek: στρώση
Italian: strato
Japanese: 層
Korean: 층
Norwegian: lag lagvis
Polish: warstwa
European Portuguese: camada
Romanian: strat
Russian: слой
Latin American Spanish: capa
Swedish: lager
Thai: ชั้น
Turkish: katman
Ukrainian: шар
Vietnamese: tầng
British English: layer VERB
If you layer something, you arrange it in layers.
Layer the potatoes, asparagus, and salmon in the tin.
American English: layer
Brazilian Portuguese: arrumar em camadas
Chinese: 分层放置
European Spanish: disponer en capas
French: disposer en couches
German: schichten
Italian: disporre a strati
Japanese: 重ねて層にする
Korean: 켜켜로 쌓다
European Portuguese: arrumar em camadas
Latin American Spanish: disponer en capas
All related terms of 'layer'
D layer
the lowest area of the ionosphere , having increased ion density and existing only in the daytime : it begins at an altitude of about 70 km ( c. 43 mi ) and merges with the E layer
E layer
a dense layer of ions in the E region of the ionosphere at an altitude of c. 100 km ( c. 62 mi ), capable of reflecting shortwave radio waves
F layer
the two dense layers of ions in the F region of the ionosphere that are used to reflect long-range radio signals : the F1 layer , at an altitude of c. 200 to 300 km ( c. 125 to 185 miles), exists during the day, and the permanent F2 layer , or Appleton layer, is at c. 225 to 400 km ( c. 140 to 250 miles)
Ekman layer
the thin top layer of the sea that flows at 90° to the wind direction, discovered by Vagn Walfrid Ekman
extra layer
A layer of a material or substance is a quantity or piece of it that covers a surface or that is between two other things.
field layer
a thickness of some homogeneous substance, such as a stratum or a coating on a surface
germ layer
any of the three layers of cells formed during gastrulation
herb layer
a thickness of some homogeneous substance, such as a stratum or a coating on a surface
layer cake
a cake made in layers with a filling
moss layer
a thickness of some homogeneous substance, such as a stratum or a coating on a surface
ozone layer
The ozone layer is the part of the Earth's atmosphere that has the most ozone in it. The ozone layer protects living things from the harmful radiation of the sun .
shrub layer
a thickness of some homogeneous substance, such as a stratum or a coating on a surface
tree layer
a thickness of some homogeneous substance, such as a stratum or a coating on a surface
ground layer
a thickness of some homogeneous substance, such as a stratum or a coating on a surface
violet layer
a layer of particles in the upper atmosphere of the planet Mars , that scatters and absorbs certain electromagnetic radiation, thus preventing the blue, violet , and ultraviolet light waves from passing through
aleurone layer
the outer protein-rich layer of certain seeds, esp of cereal grains
Appleton layer
the F region of the ionosphere
boundary layer
the layer of fluid closest to the surface of a solid past which the fluid flows: it has a lower rate of flow than the bulk of the fluid because of its adhesion to the solid
depletion layer
a region at the interface between dissimilar zones of conductivity in a semiconductor , in which there are few charge carriers
friction layer
the atmospheric layer extending up to about 600 m, in which the aerodynamic effects of surface friction are appreciable
Heaviside layer
the E region of the ionosphere
inversion layer
a layer of the atmosphere in which there is a temperature inversion , with the layer tending to prevent the air below it from rising , thus trapping any pollutants that are present
abscission layer
a layer of parenchyma cells that is formed at the bases of fruits, flowers, and leaves before abscission . As the parenchyma disintegrates , the organ becomes separated from the plant
Malpighian layer
the innermost layer of the epidermis
protective layer
A layer of a material or substance is a quantity or piece of it that covers a surface or that is between two other things.
deep scattering layer
any of the stratified zones in the ocean which reflect sound during echo sounding , usually composed of marine organisms which migrate vertically from c. 250 to 800 m ( c. 820 to 2,625 ft)
Kennelly-Heaviside layer
→ E layer
thin-layer chromatography
a form of chromatography in which components of a liquid mixture are separated by means of a thin layer of adsorbent material coated on a glass , plastic , or foil sheet
sandwich cake
a cake that is made up of two or more layers with a jam or other filling
Chinese translation of 'layer'
layer
(ˈleɪəʳ)
n(c)
[of substance, material]层(層) (céng)
(fig)[of system, idea]层(層) (céng)
vt
把 ... 分层(層) (bǎ ... fēncéng)
1 (noun)
Definition
a single thickness of something, such as a cover or a coating on a surface
A fresh layer of snow covered the street.
Synonyms
covering
Sawdust was used as a hygienic floor covering.
film
The sea is coated with a film of sewage.
cover
Put a polythene cover over it to protect it from dust.
sheet
a sheet of ice
coating
We put on the second coating of lacquer.
coat
The front door needs a new coat of paint.
blanket
The mud disappeared under a blanket of snow.
mantle
The park looked grim under a mantle of soot and ash.
dusting
2 (noun)
Critics and the public puzzle out the layers of meaning in his photos.
Synonyms
tier
an auditorium with tiers of seats around and above it
level
seam
The average UK coal seam is one metre thick.
stratum
The rock strata show that the region was intensely dry 15,000 years ago.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of blanket
Definition
a concealing cover, as of smoke, leaves, or snow
The mud disappeared under a blanket of snow.
Synonyms
covering,
cover,
bed,
sheet,
coating,
coat,
layer,
film,
carpet,
cloak,
mantle,
thickness
in the sense of coat
Definition
any layer that covers a surface
The front door needs a new coat of paint.
Synonyms
layer,
covering,
coating,
overlay
in the sense of coating
Definition
a layer or film spread over a surface
We put on the second coating of lacquer.
Synonyms
layer,
covering,
finish,
skin,
sheet,
coat,
dusting,
blanket,
membrane,
glaze,
film,
varnish,
veneer,
patina,
lamination
Synonyms of 'layer'
layer
Explore 'layer' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cover
Definition
anything which covers
Put a polythene cover over it to protect it from dust.
Synonyms
covering,
case,
top,
dress,
clothing,
cap,
coating,
envelope,
lid,
canopy,
sheath,
wrapper,
awning
in the sense of film
Definition
a thin coating, covering, or layer
The sea is coated with a film of sewage.
Synonyms
layer,
covering,
cover,
skin,
coating,
coat,
dusting,
tissue,
membrane,
scum,
gauze,
integument,
pellicle
in the sense of mantle
Definition
anything that covers completely or envelops
The park looked grim under a mantle of soot and ash.
Synonyms
covering,
cover,
screen,
cloud,
curtain,
envelope,
blanket,
veil,
shroud,
canopy,
pall
in the sense of seam
Definition
a long narrow layer of coal, marble, or ore formed between layers of other rocks
The average UK coal seam is one metre thick.
Synonyms
layer,
vein,
stratum,
lode
in the sense of sheet
Definition
a broad continuous surface or layer
a sheet of ice
Synonyms
coat,
film,
layer,
membrane,
surface,
stratum,
veneer,
overlay,
lamina
in the sense of stratum
Definition
any of the distinct layers into which certain rocks are divided
The rock strata show that the region was intensely dry 15,000 years ago.