Meaning

A single thickness of some material covering a surface..

Definitions by Sense

1. A single thickness of some material covering a surface.
2. A (usually) horizontal deposit; a stratum.
3. One of the items in a hierarchy.
4. (computer graphics, by analogy to a stack of transparencies) One in a stack of (initially transparent) drawing surfaces that comprise an image; used to keep elements of an image separate so that they can be modified independently from one another.
5. (networking) One of the seven network switch pieces in the Open Systems Interconnection model: application, presentation, session, transport, network, data link, and physical.
6. (computing) An alternative keymap accessed through a modifier key or toggle.
7. (ambitransitive) To cut or divide into layers.
8. (ambitransitive) To arrange in layers.

Example Sentences

Wrap the loaf in two layers of aluminum foil before putting it in the oven.

After the first coat of paint dried, he applied another layer.

I find seven-layer cake a bit too rich.

Sometimes, the underlying layers are exposed by erosion, revealing the story of the rocks like an open book.

mired in layers of deceit

Right above the database access layer sits a number cruncher that performs any calculations that a particular request may require, such as computing a standard deviation. In many cases, this layer just forwards raw numbers.

Layer the ribbons on top of one another to make an attractive pattern.

If fortune ever favoured any venturesome layer of bets, Tom Elliot was certainly the one that day.

Word Forms

• layers
• layering
• layered

Synonyms for layer

Related Words

When Should You Use Layer?

Use layer when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions