overlay

play

verb over·lay \ ˌō-vər-ˈlā \

Definition of overlay

overlaid play \ˌō-vər-ˈlād\; overlaying

transitive verb

1 a :to lay or spread over or across :superimpose

b :to prepare an overlay for

2 :overlie 2

See overlay defined for English-language learners

See overlay defined for kids

Examples of overlay in a Sentence

you should apply a coat of primer first, and then overlay it with two coats of paint
cedar shingles overlaying one another on the roof

Recent Examples of overlay from the Web

With data sets overlaying the satellite imagery, for example, a farmer might obtain a harvest projection from the moisture in the soil, or an insurer might use the data to verify losses.

— eric berger, Ars Technica, "Satellites that can image Earth at night, and through clouds, near launch," 23 Aug. 2017
One of the pictures, a black and white photo of Swift overlaid with faux newspaper articles, appears to be the album's cover art.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Taylor Swift Officially Announces a New Album," 23 Aug. 2017
Additionally, the black-and-white cover art—which features Taylor overlaid with numerous tabloid headlines that are, obviously, all about her—is also generating some curious comments.

— devon ivie, Glamour, "Taylor Swift's Album Announcement Spurs Twitter Jokes," 23 Aug. 2017
Your glasses will quickly be able to identify the planes of your walls and instantly overlay your room in an endless array of color choices and combinations.

— jay samit, Fortune, "Here Are 10 Kinds of Apps That Could Make AR the Killer Feature on the Next iPhone," 16 Aug. 2017
Rather, a Bruno Mars portrait, painted by Tabi Kephart and overlaid with gold leaf.

— kyle brown and matthew clough, kansascity, "Fans descend upon Sprint Center for ‘golden’ opportunity to see Bruno Mars," 9 Aug. 2017
A survey conducted by her graduate student, Daniel Brooks, found traffic light colors overlaid with simple symbols such as checks or question marks sufficient to communicate a robot’s status to untrained bystanders.

— charlie wood, The Christian Science Monitor, "Robot communication: It's more than just talk," 2 Aug. 2017
His previous film, The Jungle Book, featured just one actor not overlaid with CGI, and almost no practical locations whatsoever.

— tom philip, GQ, "The Lion King Remake Is Casting Literally All Your Favorites," 17 July 2017
Sailors are being given tips to navigate safely around whales, including course maps overlaid with any nearby whale habitat.

— william j. kole, The Seattle Times, "‘Whales ho!’ Sailors, conservationists help keep whales safe," 9 July 2017

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

First Known Use of overlay

14th century

overlay Synonyms

Synonyms

blanket, carpet, coat, cover, overlie, overspread, sheet

Related Words

enclose (also inclose), enrobe, enshroud, enswathe, envelop, enwrap, mantle, shawl, shroud, swathe, wrap; cloak, clothe, curtain, veil; circle, encircle, encompass

Other Handicraft Terms

biscuit, darn, tambour, wrought

overlay

play

noun over·lay \ ˈō-vər-ˌlā \

Definition of overlay

:a covering either permanent or temporary: such as

a :an ornamental veneer

b :a decorative and contrasting design or article placed on top of a plain one

c :a transparent sheet containing graphic matter to be superimposed on another sheet

See overlay defined for English-language learners

Examples of overlay in a Sentence

a silver ring with gold overlay
The wooden table has a marble overlay.

Recent Examples of overlay from the Web

Berman’s excited by the prospect of incorporating graphics into cakes, citing a striking black wedding cake with a delicate floral overlay that was recently masterminded by one of Vanilla Bake Shop’s designers.

— molly fitzpatrick, Bon Appetit, "Wedding Cake Trends of 2017: Goodbye Ombré, Hello Watercolor Frosting," 25 July 2017
Onto the model, the software overlays graphics that are created using commercial animation programs.

— ethan varian, latimes.com, "From 'Game of Thrones' to 'Harry Potter,' projection mapping lights up L.A.," 25 July 2017
As the switchbacks began piling up, the charred black skeletons of trees below made for a striking overlay on the otherwise blazingly bright native ground vegetation.

— bonnie tsui, New York Times, "At Berryessa National Monument, Wildflowers and Rebirth," 25 July 2017
Oral histories collected by the Detroit Historical Society and a diverse collection of historians and experts presented in a digital overlay will allow readers to explore new information, memories and perspectives of those five days in July.

— ashley catherine woods, Detroit Free Press, "What Twitter would look like during Detroit '67," 19 July 2017
The overlay district requires final approval from the City Council.

— diane stafford, kansascity, "A Kansas City neighborhood homes association aims for a first-in-the-city right," 18 July 2017
Crews still need to do final asphalt overlay, permanent striping, and some drainage work within the next few weeks, said Caltrans.

— karen brainard, Ramona Sentinel, "Intersection improvement nears completion," 14 July 2017
For deeply dry and damaged hair, a replenishing masque that is water-based and rich in glycerin will add an extra-shiny overlay that’s actually moisturizing.

— Vogue, "It’s the Fourth of July! Here Are 4 Hair Products Worth Packing," 30 June 2017
BRIDE’S DRESS: Jennifer wore a strapless Wtoo by Watters ivory gown with a small sweetheart neckline and a lace overlay from Bellevue Bridal Boutique in Seattle.

— john-john williams iv, baltimoresun.com, "Wedded: Jennifer Ahn and Justin Kolbeck had an instant connection," 23 June 2017

First Known Use of overlay

15th century

OVERLAY Defined for English Language Learners

overlay

play

verb

Definition of overlay for English Language Learners

: to cover (something) with a layer of another material

overlay

play

noun

Definition of overlay for English Language Learners

: material that covers the complete surface or part of the surface of something and that changes its appearance
: a transparent sheet with information or pictures on it that is placed on top of another sheet to change what is being shown

OVERLAY Defined for Kids

overlay

play

verb over·lay \ ˌō-vər-ˈlā \

Definition of overlay for Students

overlaid \-ˈlād\; overlaying

:to lay or spread over or across

The table top is overlaid with ceramic tiles.

overlay

play

noun over·lay \ ˈō-vər-ˌlā \

Definition of overlay for Students

:a usually thin covering that is laid over or across something The silver ring has gold overlay.

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See words that rhyme with overlay Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for overlay Spanish Central: Translation of overlay Nglish: Translation of overlay for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of overlay for Arabic speakers

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overlay

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OVERLAY Defined for English Language Learners

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overlay

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