envelope
Etymology 1

From French enveloppe.

Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /ˈɛnvələʊp/, /ˈɒnvələʊp/, /ˈɒnvləʊp/, /ˈɑ̃vələʊp/
  • (General American) enPR: ĕn′vəlōp', än′vəlōp', IPA: /ˈɛnvəˌloʊp/, /ˈɑn-/, /-lop/
Noun

envelope (plural envelopes)

  1. A paper or cardboard wrapper used to enclose small, flat items, especially letters, for mailing.
  2. Something that envelops; a wrapping.
    Synonyms: wrapper
  3. A bag containing the lifting gas of a balloon or airship; fabric that encloses the gas-bags of an airship.
    Synonyms: gasbag
  4. (geometry) A mathematical curve, surface or higher-dimensional object that is the tangent to a given family of lines, curves, surfaces or higher-dimensional objects.
  5. (electronics) A curve that bounds another curve or set of curves, as the modulation envelope of an amplitude-modulated carrier wave in electronics.
  6. (music) The shape of a sound, which may be controlled by a synthesizer or sampler.
  7. (networking) The information used for routing a message that is transmitted with the message but not part of its contents.
    Synonyms: header
  8. (biology) An enclosing structure or cover, such as a membrane; a space between two membranes
  9. (engineering) The set of limitations within which a technological system can perform safely and effectively.
    push the envelope
  10. (astronomy) The nebulous covering of the head or nucleus of a comet; a coma.
  11. An earthwork in the form of a single parapet or a small rampart, sometimes raised in the ditch and sometimes beyond it.
Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Verb

envelope (envelopes, present participle enveloping; simple past and past participle enveloped)

  1. (transitive, rare) To put (something) in an envelope.
Etymology 2

See envelop.

Pronunciation
  • enPR: ĕn-vĕl'əp, IPA: /ɛnˈvɛləp/
Verb

envelope (envelopes, present participle enveloping; simple past and past participle enveloped)

  1. Archaic form of envelop
    • 1877, James Booth, A Treatise on Some New Geometrical Methods, page 209:
      Again, if the plane of the impressed couple intersects the mean plane between N and C, it will envelope the cone whose focals are ON, ON′, and whose internal axis is therefore OA.



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