- to wrap or enclose in or as if in a covering
- to conceal or obscure, as from sight or understanding: a plan enveloped in mystery
- to surround or partially surround (an enemy force)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
en•vel•op /ɛnˈvɛləp/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
en•vel•op•ment, n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to wrap up in or as if in a covering:She enveloped me in her arms.
- to surround entirely:Fog had enveloped the town.
en•vel•op•ment, n. [uncountable]
en•vel•op
(v. en vel′əp;n. en vel′əp, en′və ləp, än′-),USA pronunciation v., -oped, -op•ing. n.
v.t.
n.
en•vel′op•er, n.
v.t.
- to wrap up in or as in a covering:The long cloak she was wearing enveloped her completely.
- to serve as a wrapping or covering for, as a membrane of an organ or a sheath.
- to surround entirely.
- Militaryto attack (an enemy's flank).
n.
- envelope.
- Old French envoluper, equivalent. to en- en-1 + voloper to envelop, of obscure origin, originally; compare Old Provencal (en)volopar, Italian inviluppare to envelop, Italian viluppo tuft, bundle, confusion, referred to Medieval Latin faluppa chaff, wisp of straw, perh. influenced by the descendants of Latin volvere to roll
- Middle English envolupen 1350–1400
- 1. enfold, cover, hide, conceal. 3. encompass, enclose.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
envelop /ɪnˈvɛləp/ vb ( -lops, -loping, -loped) (transitive)
'envelop' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
develop
- embosom
- envelope
- enwrap
- fog
- lap
- mantle
- meninges
- shroud
- smother
- swathe
- around
- befog
- close
- cocoon
- cover
- cup plant
- embay
- embed
- encompass
- enfold
- engulf
- envelopment
- environ
- fall
- fold
- invest
- involve
- muffle
- pack
- roll
- web
- wrap
- wreathe
- shut
- smog
- swallow