A wetting layer is like a really thin coat of paint that covers a flat surface. Imagine you have a sheet of paper and you want to paint it with a special type of paint. But the paper is smooth and the paint can't stick to it very well. So, to help the paint stick better, you first add a very thin layer of a different type of paint that spreads out evenly on the surface of the paper. This layer is called the wetting layer.
The wetting layer helps the special paint stick to the paper because it can grip onto the wetting layer really well. It's like the wetting layer acts as a glue that holds the special paint in place. Without the wetting layer, the special paint would just slide around on the paper and not stay in one spot.
In science, a wetting layer is important for making things like computer chips and solar cells. They use a wetting layer to help different materials stick together and work well. So, even though it sounds like just a thin layer of paint, it can actually be really important for making things work the right way.