Definition of "layer" in English

noun

1. A single thickness of some material covering a surface.

   • 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.

2. A (usually) horizontal deposit; a stratum.

   • I find seven-layer cake a bit too rich.

3. One of the items in a hierarchy.

   • mired in layers of deceit

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.

verb

1. (ambitransitive) To cut or divide into layers.

2. (ambitransitive) To arrange in layers.

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

noun

1. A person who lays anything, such as tiles or a wager.

2. A mature female bird, insect, etc. that is able to lay eggs.

   • As for which hen we'll cull for next Sunday's dinner, we certainly won't eat Henrietta yet — she's still a prime layer.
   • When dealing with an infestation of headlice, the first step is to eliminate the layers.

3. A shoot of a plant, laid underground for growth.