layer

noun lay·er \ ˈlā-ər , ˈler \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Examples: layer in a Sentence

Definition of layer

1 : one that lays something (such as a worker who lays brick or a hen that lays eggs)

2 a : one thickness, course, or fold laid or lying over or under another

b : stratum

c : horizon 2

3 a : a branch or shoot of a plant that roots while still attached to the parent plant

b : a plant developed by layering

—

layered

play \ˈlā-ərd, ˈlerd\ adjective

See layer defined for English-language learners

See layer defined for kids

Examples of layer in a Sentence

Everything was covered by a thin layer of sand.
The top layer of the rug is badly worn but the bottom layer is still OK.
The cake has three layers.
She glued together several layers of paper.
He was wearing several layers of clothing.
rocks that formed in layers from flows of lava

Recent Examples of layer from the Web

The layer where the head was found dates to the 9th century B.C., the epoch associated with the rival biblical kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

— Fox News, "Sculpted head of mystery biblical king found in Israel," 10 June 2018
The layer where the head was found dates to the 9th century B.C., the epoch associated with the rival biblical kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

— Washington Post, "Sculpted head of mystery biblical king found in Israel," 10 June 2018
The layer where the head was found dates to the 9th century B.C., the epoch associated with the rival biblical kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

— ilan ben zion, BostonGlobe.com, "Which mysterious biblical king is this? Scholars want to know," 9 June 2018
The layer where the head was found dates to the 9th century B.C., the epoch associated with the rival biblical kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

— NBC News, "Sculpted head of mystery biblical king found in Israel," 9 June 2018
Layer upon layer, with Murakami fine-tuning the placement and colors as the works evolved.

— gaile robinson, star-telegram, "The Modern goes big and bright with international art star Murakami retrospective," 8 June 2018
Also, since cysts form on the inner layers of the skin, they can't be treated as easily as typical surface acne.

— marissa desantis, Teen Vogue, "What Cystic Acne Is, and How to Treat It," 6 June 2018
Sonos has built a new API that exists as a layer on top of the Beam software, and, thanks to a lot of negotiation and work with the Big Three tech companies, the three voice assistants can technically hook into this API and control the Sonos Beam.

— lauren goode, WIRED, "Sonos's New Soundbar Points to a Voice-Enabled Future," 6 June 2018
Without the layers of protection of the marshland and barrier islands, Boustany says, coastal Louisiana -- and the people who live here -- become more vulnerable to increasingly powerful storms.

— gena somra, CNN, "Louisiana's shrinking marshes signal the loss of a way of life," 6 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'layer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of layer

13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

layer

verb

Definition of layer

layered; layering; layers

transitive verb

1 : to propagate (a plant) by means of layers

2 a : to place as a layer

b : to place a layer on top of

pancakes layered with butter and syrup

c : to form or arrange in layers

intransitive verb

1 a : to separate into layers

b : to form out of superimposed layers

2 of a plant : to form roots where a stem comes in contact with the ground

See layer defined for English-language learners

Examples of layer in a Sentence

We layered the fruit with whipped cream and served it with cookies.

Recent Examples of layer from the Web

During one solo spotlight, Aronoff transitioned from a Gene Krupa-esque low rumble to rapid-fire, multi-layered striking in the tradition of Alex Van Halen.

— david lindquist, Indianapolis Star, "5 ways John Fogerty keeps it timeless in Indianapolis," 14 June 2018
Herein lies the multi-layered, often esoteric, nature of Moulton’s curatorial practice.

— andrea alonso, Los Angeles Magazine, "Fact and Fiction Collide Inside an Exhibit Inspired by a “Forgotten” L.A. Legend—and Beverly Hills Cop," 12 June 2018
Matched with the committee’s ongoing digging into the president’s Russian ties, that database serves as a multi-layered resource for Democrats aiming to keep the White House on its toes.

— gabriel debenedetti, Daily Intelligencer, "What Hurts a Political Opponent in the Age of Trump?," 20 May 2018
Royals aside, Ballet Slippers also made a cameo in the 2003 novel The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger, in which a character reports that Vogue staffers layer it with one coat of Essie's Marshmallow.

— deanna pai, Glamour, "How Essie’s Ballet Slippers Became the 'Safe' Shade," 18 May 2018
With a first-pitch temperature of 39 degrees, which dropped down close to the freezing mark as the game wore on, the Yard Goats and New Hampshire Fisher Cats layered up, wearing long sleeves and wool face masks.

— dom amore, courant.com, "Yard Goats Start Off Cold, Lose To New Hampshire, 6-0," 5 Apr. 2018
Restoration work has yet to be completed, but a new Oakley pub will open its doors March 17, even if there is still a bit of plaster dust layering the counter.

— forrest sellers, Cincinnati.com, "New Irish pub in Oakley opens doors on St. Patrick's Day," 15 Mar. 2018
Both parties are responsible for layering these responsibilities on citizens, choosing complication over simplicity and offloading that complexity onto the individual.

— david dayen, New Republic, "The Government’s Taxes on Citizens’ Free Time," 17 Jan. 2018
Smudge the liner for a pretty, brown smokey eye look, or layer it on thick for a mod style. 8.

— elizabeth denton, Seventeen, "12 Makeup Bag Essentials Every Girl Should Have," 9 Jan. 2018