A thin layer is a very thin SHEET of material, often used to cover or protect something else. VENEER, LAMINA, SEAM, FILM, MEMBRANE, SHEET, lamella, PATINA, and PLY are all words that can be used to describe a thin layer. VENEER is a thin layer of wood used to cover furniture, while LAMINA is a thin layer of metal or plastic. SEAM and FILM are both thin layers of fabric or plastic, while MEMBRANE is a thin layer of tissue. SHEET is a thin layer of material, such as paper or cloth, while lamella is a thin layer of cells. PATINA is a thin layer of corrosion on metal, while PLY is a thin layer of material made up of multiple layers.