What type of clouds are referred to as layered clouds?

Layered clouds are primarily characterized by their formation that creates a uniform, sheet-like appearance across the sky. Stratus clouds exemplify this type of cloud formation, as they typically form at low altitudes and can cover vast areas, leading to overcast conditions. These clouds generally lack the vertical development seen in other types, like cumulus clouds, which form through rising warm air and can develop into towering structures.

Stratus clouds often indicate stable atmospheric conditions and can produce light precipitation, such as drizzle or mist. This is in contrast to clouds like cumulus, which are puffy and indicate instability and vertical development, and cirrus clouds that are high-altitude, thin wisps signifying a different kind of weather pattern. Nimbus refers generally to rain-bearing clouds, which can include both stratiform and cumulus cloud types, but does not specifically denote the layered cloud structure like stratus does.

Therefore, stratus clouds are accurately identified as layered clouds due to their flat and extensive formation, demonstrating why this answer is correct.