image layer
compound.compound. one of several levels of a digital picture that you can edit separately. You use these to stack different parts of a design on top of each other without changing the whole image.
compound. a discrete, independent level of a digital graphic that can be manipulated without affecting other elements in the same file. Typically used in photo editing and design software to manage transparency and composition.
I need to hide the top image layer to see the background.
When designing the poster, the artist kept the text on a separate image layer so the font color could be changed easily later.
By adjusting the opacity of each image layer, the photographer created a complex composite that blended several different exposures into a single, balanced landscape.
A compound of the Middle English 'image', derived from the Old French 'imago', and 'layer', formed by appending the Germanic suffix '-er' to the verb 'lay'.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Commonly used in the context of raster graphics software like Photoshop or GIMP.
Last updated July 22, 2026