1. The layer of tall trees that form the uppermost canopy in a forest, rising above the understory.
Usage: forestry; ecology; chiefly British spelling (American: overstory)

Examples

• The overstorey of the tropical rainforest blocks most sunlight from reaching the ground below.
• Tall oak and maple trees form the overstorey in this mature woodland.
• Birds nest in the overstorey where they are protected from predators.
• The overstorey provides habitat for many species adapted to life in the treetops.
• Foresters studied how the overstorey composition changed after the storm.