1
: one that lays something (such as a worker who lays brick or a hen that lays eggs)
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; layering; layers
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
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
Examples of layer in a Sentence
Noun
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
Verb
We layered the fruit with whipped cream and served it with cookies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2024
Set in Thailand’s most remote island, celebrities must use their survival instincts to reach the extraction point, adding a layer of suspense and strategy never seen before on the show, producer Endemol France said.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 3 July 2024
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 4 July 2024
Hybrid mattresses are made up of a coil system layered with foam or natural fibers.
—Ashley Zlatopolsky, Architectural Digest, 3 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for layer 
Noun
In the Pleistocene, as today, thick layers of frozen soil known as permafrost lay beneath the Arctic’s surface, concealing a vast reservoir of carbon.
—Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2024
Set in Thailand’s most remote island, celebrities must use their survival instincts to reach the extraction point, adding a layer of suspense and strategy never seen before on the show, producer Endemol France said.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 3 July 2024
Verb
Add half the ham, layering it evenly over the bread followed by all of the cheese, then top with the remaining ham.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 4 July 2024
Hybrid mattresses are made up of a coil system layered with foam or natural fibers.
—Ashley Zlatopolsky, Architectural Digest, 3 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for layer
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'layer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near layer
Cite this Entry
“Layer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/layer. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
layer
noun
lay·er
ˈlā-ər, ˈle(-ə)r 
1
: one thickness, course, or fold laid or lying over or under another
2
: stratum sense 1
the outer layers of the skin
layer
verb
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