underlayer

American

[uhn-der-ley-er] / ˈʌn dərˌleɪ ər /

noun

a layer lying beneath another; substratum.

Etymology

Origin of underlayer

First recorded in 1895–1900; under- + layer

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

However hateful Ava and Deborah may behave toward each other, their scorn carries an underlayer of heartbreak, reminding us of the profound, twisted love beneath their venom.

From Salon • Apr. 10, 2025

Finnie: I feel like the underlayer for me watching it is the dreams and identity.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2024

Suits coats were double-breasted, with a silken underlayer providing contrast.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 13, 2024

Then I started adding things: a wool long sleeve underlayer that had a hole in the elbow, a few granola bars, a new backup battery for my phone.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2020

The eider-duck skin is very warm, having, besides its thick coat of feathers, a heavy underlayer of soft warm down, which, as I told you before, the ducks pick off to line their nests with.

From Cast Away in the Cold An Old Man's Story of a Young Man's Adventures, as Related by Captain John Hardy, Mariner by Hayes, I. I. (Isaac Israel)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023