ozone layer

noun

: an atmospheric layer at heights of about 20 to 30 miles (32 to 48 kilometers) that is normally characterized by high ozone content which blocks most solar ultraviolet radiation from entry into the lower atmosphere

Examples of ozone layer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The average surface temperature would decrease by around 7 degrees Fahrenheit, the average rainfall would fall by 15 percent, and the ozone layer would deplete by 32 percent. —Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025

Located in the stratosphere, the ozone layer acts like sunscreen, blocking potentially harmful ultraviolet energy from reaching our planet's surface. —Doyle Rice, USA Today, 20 May 2025

That halo shields Earth from cosmic radiation — which thins the planet’s ozone layer, thereby allowing more UV light in. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025

In recent years, however, the ozone layer that protects the Earth from harmful sun rays has been deteriorating, and higher UVI measures are being recorded. —Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 14 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ozone layer

• assayer
• ballplayer
• betrayer
• bilayer
• bricklayer
• conveyer
• conveyor
• purveyor
• ratepayer
• soothsayer
• surveyor
• taxpayer

Kids Definition

ozone layer

noun

: a layer of the earth's atmosphere at heights of about 20 to 30 miles (32 to 48 kilometers) that is normally characterized by high ozone content which blocks most of the sun's ultraviolet radiation from entry into the lower atmosphere