/ Dictionary / Index A active layer: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: ac'tive lay"er Pronunciation: [key] (in arctic or subarctic regions) the layer of soil, above the permafrost, that thaws during the summer. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. active immunity active mass Related Content Daily Word Quiz: soporific Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language