1 encapsulate | Definition of encapsulate
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

encapsulate

verb
en路​cap路​su路​late | \ in-藞kap-s蓹-藢l膩t How to pronounce encapsulate (audio) , en-\
encapsulated; encapsulating

Definition of encapsulate

transitive verb

1 : to enclose in or as if in a capsule a pilot encapsulated in the cockpit
2 : epitomize, summarize encapsulate an era in an aphorism

intransitive verb

: to become encapsulated
Other Words from encapsulate Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about encapsulate

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from encapsulate

encapsulation \ in-​藢kap-​s蓹-​藞l膩-​sh蓹n How to pronounce encapsulation (audio) , en-​ \ noun

Did You Know?

Encapsulate and its related noun, "capsule," derive from "capsula," a diminutive form of the Latin noun capsa, meaning "box." "Capsa" also gave us our noun "case" (the container kind; the legal sense has a different origin). The original sense of encapsulate, meaning "to enclose something in a capsule," first appeared in the late 19th century. Its extended meaning, "to give a summary or synopsis of something," plays on the notion of a capsule as something compact, self-contained, and often easily digestible (as in a capsule of medicine). There is also a verb "capsule," which is more or less synonymous with "encapsulate."

Examples of encapsulate in a Sentence

The contaminated material should be encapsulated and removed. can you encapsulate the president's speech in about a paragraph?

Recent Examples on the Web

 The two trips encapsulated their opposing world views. — Jonathan Lemire, Washington Post, "Inside Bolton鈥檚 exit: Mongolia, a mustache, a tweet," 11 Sep. 2019 The academy with Elizarraraz in it, conducted this spring, encapsulated many of the challenges facing a city that knows all about fire danger. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Inside the Fire Academy: Stakes high at 16-week crucible for recruits, city," 5 Sep. 2019 Farha and others have also encapsulated enzymes inside MOFs, protecting the fragile molecules from harsh environments and enabling them to carry out industrial reactions outside cells. — Robert F. Service, Science | AAAS, "Crystalline nets harvest water from desert air, turn carbon dioxide into liquid fuel," 3 Sep. 2019 But no creature encapsulates the clashes over the use of Western public lands, including national forest and BLM lands, quite like the greater sage grouse. — Judith Kohler, The Denver Post, "Critics of federal oil, gas leasing in Colorado focus on fate of fancy-dancing bird and public lands," 1 Sep. 2019 The song encapsulates Del Rey鈥檚 exhausted yet engaged perspective on Norman, the first front-to-back masterpiece of a decade-long career that spans five generally well-received albums and survived years of controversy among music鈥檚 gatekeepers. — Judy Berman, Time, "Review: Norman F---ing Rockwell! Is Lana Del Rey's Darkest鈥擜nd Greatest鈥擜lbum Yet," 30 Aug. 2019 Keeping everything dressed-down with Vejas sneakers, the ensemble encapsulates the model-off-duty vibe Ratajkowski has been rocking all summer. — Vogue, "Emily Ratajkowski鈥檚 Latest Look Takes a Cue from the Olsen Twins," 20 Aug. 2019 The fact that James Milner - who made his Premier League debut back in 2002 - is number one on this list perfectly encapsulates his attitude to the game. — SI.com, "Premier League Appearances: The 10 Current Players With the Most Games," 13 Aug. 2019 Few weeks have better encapsulated the whiplash-inducing discussions playing out around free speech online than the previous one. — Matt Laslo, WIRED, "The Fight Over Section 230鈥攁nd the Internet as We Know It," 13 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'encapsulate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of encapsulate

1872, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for encapsulate

encapsulate

verb
How to pronounce encapsulate (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of encapsulate

: to show or express the main idea or quality of (something) in a brief way
: to completely cover (something) especially so that it will not touch anything else

See the full definition for encapsulate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

encapsulate

verb
en路​cap路​su路​late | \ in-藞kap-s蓹-藢l膩t How to pronounce encapsulate (audio) \
encapsulated; encapsulating

Medical Definition of encapsulate

transitive verb

: to surround, encase, or protect in or as if in a capsule DNA has been encapsulated in microspheres— Paul Smaglik

intransitive verb

: to become encapsulated a bacillus that encapsulates in the human body

Other Words from encapsulate

encapsulation \ -​藢kap-​s蓹-​藞l膩-​sh蓹n How to pronounce encapsulation (audio) \ noun

More from Merriam-Webster on encapsulate

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with encapsulate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for encapsulate

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!