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
Regina Zumarraga, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2026
DiVincenzo and Dosunmu encapsulated the rollercoaster that is the Timberwolves experience.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
There is a scene in the big-budget biopic Michael that perfectly encapsulates Michael Jackson’s historically unfathomable fame and crushing, fragile psyche.
—Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Set the scene The piazza where the hotel is located encapsulates the Eternal City.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 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 29 Apr. 2026.
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encapsulate
verb
Medical Definition
encapsulate
verb
Paul Smaglik
