Word of the Day : December 5, 2017

encapsulate \in-KAP-suh-layt\ verb

Definition

1 : to enclose in or as if in a capsule

2 : to show or express in a brief way : epitomize, summarize

3 : to become enclosed in a capsule

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. There is also a verb capsule, which is more or less synonymous with encapsulate.

Aired December 5, 2017

All Merriam-Webster content is available at www.merriam-webster.com