encapsulate
verb
Did you know?
We’ll keep it brief by encapsulating the history of this word in just a few sentences. Encapsulate and its related noun, capsule, come to English (via French) from capsula, a diminutive form of the Latin noun capsa, meaning “box.” (Capsa also gave English the word case as it refers to a container or box—not to be confused with the case in “just in case,” which is a separate case.) The earliest examples of encapsulate are for its literal use, “to enclose something in a capsule,” and they date to the late 19th century. Its extended meaning, “to give a summary or synopsis of something,” plays on the notion of a capsule being something compact, self-contained, and often easily digestible.
Examples of encapsulate in a Sentence
Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
However, what is clear is that Bessette-Kennedy’s simple band perfectly encapsulated her style.
—Emily Chan, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026
Typically when preparing for a role, Apostolides, as a guitarist, picks a song that encapsulates a character's essence.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Feb. 2026
In 2023, the Swedish company Maurten introduced a formulation that encapsulates the baking soda into minitablets suspended in a special hydrogel.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encapsulate
Cite this Entry
“Encapsulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encapsulate. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
encapsulate
verb
Medical Definition
encapsulate
verb
Paul Smaglik
