Multilayered describes something that has many levels or parts stacked together, each adding depth or complexity to the whole. A fancy chocolate cake might be multilayered, with different flavors of frosting between each tier. A winter outfit is multilayered when you wear a t-shirt, then a sweater, then a jacket to stay warm.

The word becomes particularly interesting when describing things you can't physically touch. A multilayered story has different meanings you discover as you think about it more deeply: on the surface it might seem like a simple adventure, but it also explores friendship, courage, and difficult choices. A multilayered character in a book has complicated feelings, contradictory desires, and reasons for their behavior that unfold gradually, rather than fitting a simple label like “the mean kid” or “the hero.”

Music can be multilayered when different instruments play separate melodies that weave together beautifully. A problem at school might be multilayered if it involves hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and a complicated history all tangled together. When something is multilayered, you keep discovering new aspects the more carefully you examine it, like peeling an onion to find layer after layer underneath.