layer | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

asthenosphere (n.)

layer of the Earth's upper mantle, 1914, literally "sphere of weakness" (by comparison with the lithosphere), from Greek asthenes "weak" (see asthenia) + sphere.

lamination (n.)

1670s, "action of beating into thin plates," noun of action from laminate (v.). Meaning "any layer of laminated substance" is from 1858; meaning "process of manufacturing laminated products" is from 1945.

aquifer (n.)

"water-bearing layer of rock," 1897, from Latin aqui-, combining form of aqua "water" (from PIE root *akwa- "water") + -fer "bearing," from ferre "to bear, carry" (from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry").

ectoderm (n.)

"outer layer of cells or outer membrane of a metazoan animal," 1853, from ecto- + -derm. Coined by Prussian embryologist Robert Remak (1815-1865). Related: Ectodermal.

topping (n.)

"an act of putting a top on," c. 1500, verbal noun from top (v.). Meaning "an act of cutting the top off" is from 1510s. Meaning "top layer of a food" is from 1839,

varve (n.)

"annual deposit of silt in a lake bed," 1912, from Swedish varv "turn, layer," related to Old Norse hverfa, Old English hwerfan "to turn round" (see wharf).

membrane (n.)

early 15c., "thin layer of skin or soft tissue of the body," a term in anatomy, from Latin membrana "a skin, membrane; parchment (skin prepared for writing)," from membrum "limb, member of the body" (see member). The etymological sense is "that which covers the members of the body."

cuticle (n.)

1610s, "outer layer of the skin, epidermis," from Latin cuticula, diminutive of cutis "skin," from PIE root *(s)keu- "to cover, conceal" (source also of hide (n.1)). Specialized sense of "skin at the base of the nail" is from 1907. Related: Cuticular.

hydroplane (v.)

by 1908, "to skim the surface of water by use of hydroplanes," from hydroplane (n.). Meaning "skid on a thin layer of water" (especially of automobile tires) first recorded 1962, properly aquaplane (itself from 1961 in this sense). Related: Hydroplaned; hydroplaning.

raddle (v.)

"color coarsely with red or rouge," 1630s, from raddle (n.) "red ochre used as paint, layer of red pigment" (mid-14c.), fromrad, a variant of red. Related: Raddled, raddling.

As it were to dream of

morticians' daughters raddled but amorous

[Pound, from Canto LXXIV]

Trending words