onlay

[ noun on-ley, awn-; verb on-ley, awn- ]

noun

1. an overlay, especially one in relief.
2. Dentistry. an inlay that restores the occlusal surface of a tooth.

verb (used with object)

, on·laid, on·lay·ing.

1. to place or mount (an onlay) on a surface, especially for decorative purposes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of onlay¹

1875–80; on + lay ¹, after verb phrase lay on

Example Sentences

PRP, which has its roots in dentistry, has also been used in dental procedures such as onlay and inlay grafting, sinus lifting procedures, and cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries.

From Washington Post

The slice is from one of the 23 official wedding cakes and features a sugared onlay of the royal coat-of-arms coloured in gold, red, blue and silver.

From BBC

It features a marzipan base and a sugar onlay coat-of-arms, colored in gold, red, blue, and silver, on top.

From Seattle Times

It disturbs the breadth, which is so valuable a characteristic of onlay.

From Project Gutenberg

Yet another practice, and one more strictly in keeping with the onlaying of cord, was to onlay the solid also, applying, that is to say, the surface colour also in the form of pieces of silk cut to shape.

From Project Gutenberg