envelop

verb

en·​vel·​op in-ˈve-ləp How to pronounce envelop (audio)
en-
enveloped; enveloping; envelops

transitive verb

1
: to enclose or enfold completely with or as if with a covering
2
: to mount an attack on (an enemy's flank)
envelopment noun

Examples of envelop in a Sentence

a chronic mistrust of outsiders envelops that neighborhood, cutting it off from the rest of the city the truth of the presidential assassination is enveloped in a dense fog of myths and conspiracy theories
Recent Examples on the Web Soon the two of them are enveloped by passion and become intertwined in each other’s lives, to disastrous effect. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 The spirit of Harriet Tubman seemed to envelop the theater. Donna M. Owens, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024 As soon as guests enter through a tall wooden door and proceed to the courtyard, they’ll be enveloped by abundant foliage such as palms, pines and blossoms of petunias and paper flowers. Jeanine Barone, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Diners are enveloped in velvet at the West Village restaurant Le B., both literally (velvet banquettes, velvet barstools) and in a more abstract sense. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2024 As performers overhead enveloped the audience in arias, Sbrana felt like the Hulk was pulling on the tendons in the right side of her neck. Isabella Cueto, STAT, 21 Feb. 2024 Like most of that album, Vultures feels sonically enveloping and masterful but lyrically sneering and obnoxious. Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 21 Feb. 2024 The drawing, one of six works on paper on display, shows a seated woman embracing a child kneeling in front of her, arms wrapped around her ample waist in an enveloping hug. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 From there, the growing star feeds on material raining in from its enveloping disk, creating more light and heat—and potentially breaking apart the disk’s water molecules to bake off moisture that would have otherwise flowed into worlds. Shannon Hall, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'envelop.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English envolupen, from Anglo-French envoluper, envoleper, from en- + voluper to wrap

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of envelop was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near envelop

Cite this Entry

“Envelop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/envelop. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

envelop

verb
en·​vel·​op in-ˈvel-əp How to pronounce envelop (audio)
: to surround and enclose completely with or as if with a covering
envelopment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on envelop

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