layers

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of layer.

   Cold air slips through the gaps between the loose layers of insulation.

   The artist built up dozens of thin paint layers to create depth.

   Note

   The ordinary -s plural carries every meaning of the singular: coats of paint, strata of rock, levels in a hierarchy. Several fields rely on the plural. To dress in layers is to wear clothes one over another, image editors stack separate layers so each can be changed alone, and networking counts seven layers in the OSI model. The same spelling also serves as the present-tense verb.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of layer.

   The chef carefully layers pasta sheets, sauce, and cheese into the dish.

   Each spring the gardener layers fresh compost over the beds.

   Note

   The verb runs in two directions. It can mean slicing something into layers (she layers the cake before filling it) or building something up from them (he layers sauce over pasta), and either use may take an object or stand without one. Only the sentence shows which word is in play when it shares its spelling with the noun plural: she layers the dish, but the dish has layers.

Showing meanings only. Show all 2