Definition of layer

The word "layer" has its roots in Old English and Old French. In Old English, the word "leger" or "léger" referred to a layer, a coating, or a covering. This is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "*lektiz," which is also the source of the Modern English word "liege," meaning noble or honorable. In Old French, the word "lai" or "ley" referred to a bed, a mattress, or a layer of bedstraw. This is derived from the Latin word "latus," meaning bed or layer. The French word "lai" was later borrowed into Middle English as "layer," meaning a bed or a layer. Over time, the meaning of the word "layer" expanded to include a wide range of meanings, including a layer of material, a layer of meaning, or a layer of time. Today, the word "layer" is used in a variety of contexts, from geology to computer programming, to refer to a range of concepts.