envelop

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To surround, enclose or enfold.

Pronunciation

ĕn-vĕlʹəp /ɛnˈvɛləp/ en-us-envelop.ogg en-uk-envelop.ogg

Word forms

envelop envelops enveloping enveloped invelop invelope envelope

Etymology

From Middle English envolupen, from Old French anveloper, envoluper (modern French envelopper), from en- + voloper, vloper (“to wrap, wrap up”) (compare Italian -viluppare; Old Italian alternative form goluppare (“to wrap”)) from Vulgar Latin *vuloppare (“to wrap”), from Proto-Germanic *wlappaną, *wrappaną (“to wrap, roll up, turn, wind”), from Proto-Indo-European *werb- (“to turn, bend”) http://www.wordnik.com/words/envelop. Akin to Middle English wlappen (“to wrap, fold”) (Modern English lap (“to wrap, involve, fold”)), Middle English wrappen (“to wrap”), Middle Dutch lappen (“to wrap up, embrace”), Danish dialectal vravle (“to wind, twist”), Middle Low German wrempen (“to wrinkle, distort”), Old English wearp (“warp”). Doublet of enwrap.

Related words

Derived words

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