överlagd

Överlagd is a Swedish adjective formed from the prefix över- (“over”) and lagd (“laid”). The term is used most often in contexts where something is placed on top of another object, i.e., an overlay or superimposed element. In geology, cartography, textiles, and image processing, överlagd can describe a layer or feature that covers or is laid over another layer. In practical terms, it conveys the idea of “overlaid,” such as an överlagd yta or an överlagd kartbild, where one layer sits atop a base layer.

A second, less common sense of överlagd relates to the verb överlägga, meaning to deliberate or to plan in advance. In modern Swedish the standard past participle of that verb is överlagt; överlagd is rarely used in this sense and is often regarded as nonstandard, archaic, or regional. When encountered in the deliberate sense, överlagt is generally preferred in contemporary texts.

Etymology and related forms: överlagd derives from över- plus lagd. Related terms include överläggning (deliberation), and compound forms that express overlay or deliberation, such as överlagring or överläggbar, though usage favors överlagt for the deliberative sense.

In usage, readers should distinguish between the overlay meaning (where överlagd describes something laid over another) and the more standard deliberate meaning (where överlagt is usually appropriate). The word is not among the most common Swedish terms, and its exact interpretation depends on context.