layer English · revision 5512

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1282}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈleɪ.ə/, /leə/, US /ˈleɪ.ɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[lay]] and [[-er]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) first as Middle English legger and leyer, from leggen, leien “to lay”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) Hoad suggests mixed sources for the senses: the stratum sense first appeared as lear, which may be a variant of [[lair]],^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) and Etymonline notes that because its first use was in cookery it may be from French liue “binding”.^(Etymonline) The horticultural sense may follow Dutch (af)legger.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A person who lays stones, a mason: legger in 1282 and leyer before 1382, in the Wycliffe Bible.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A thickness of material spread over a surface is from 1615.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) A shoot pegged down to take root is from the 17th century.^(Hoad 1986) A laying hen is from 1707.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) ''Layer cake'' is from 1875 in Etymonline, 1881 in Barnhart.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The verb is from 1779, for propagating a plant,^(Etymonline) and to form into layers from 1852.^(Etymonline) A formation of aircraft at one height is from 1940.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1282 – legger, a mason.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1615 – a thickness spread over a surface.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1707 – a laying hen.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1779 – the verb, in gardening.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1875 – ''layer cake''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A sheet or thickness of a substance lying over or under another: ''a layer of dust''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # One of several levels in a structure or system.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A hen that lays [[egg|alt=eggs]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A shoot bent down and covered with soil so that it takes root.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To arrange or form in layers.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To cut hair in overlapping lengths.^(AHD)

+ # To grow a new plant from a layer.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[layered]]

+ * [[layerable]]

+ * [[bilayer]]

+ * [[interlayer]]

+ * [[layerage]]

+ * [[monolayer]]

+ * [[multilayer]]

+ * [[underlayer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lay]]

+ * [[lair]]

+ * [[bricklayer]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}