/ Dictionary / Index L layoff: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: lay•off Pronunciation: (lā'ôf", -of"), [key] — n. the act of dismissing employees, esp. temporarily. a period of enforced unemployment or inactivity. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: layoff (Thesaurus) layman lay of the land Related Content Daily Word Quiz: tenacious Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language