encapsulate

[ en-kap-suh-leyt, -syoo- ]

verb (used with object)

, en·cap·su·lat·ed, en·cap·su·lat·ing.

1. to place in or as if in a capsule.
2. to summarize or condense.

verb (used without object)

, en·cap·su·lat·ed, en·cap·su·lat·ing.

1. to become enclosed in or as if in a capsule.

encapsulate

/ ɪnˈkæpsjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. to enclose or be enclosed in or as if in a capsule
2. tr to sum up in a short or concise form; condense; abridge

Derived Forms

• enˌcapsuˈlation, noun

Other Words From

• en·cap·su·la·tion [en-kap-s, uh, -, ley, -sh, uh, n, -sy, oo, -], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of encapsulate¹

First recorded in 1860–65; en- ¹ + capsulate

Example Sentences

The term has been in popular use for little more than a decade, but the ideas it encapsulates have been around for a lifetime.

From MIT Technology Review

Those figures encapsulate the hit his small business, Samovar Tea, has taken in revenues, employee count, and number of stores open, respectively.

From Fortune

The meaning of trust for Google’s local results was expanded to encapsulate the security and well-being of its searchers through the transactional environment itself.

From Search Engine Land

The challenge embraced a one-two formula for accelerating scientific progress, most recently encapsulated by research into Covid-19.

From Singularity Hub 

Altogether, the dataset provided nearly 1,100 hours of EEG recordings from almost 700 patients, which encapsulated more than 3,500 seizure events.

From Singularity Hub 

Much of the credit goes to the actors, who all fully encapsulate their roles.

From The Daily Beast

There are few recordings in any genre that more perfectly encapsulate the sheer joy of singing.

From The Daily Beast

This week, books that encapsulate the enthusiasm of youth and the battered truth of age, from Danielewski to Daniel Mendelsohn.

From The Daily Beast

This Noah Smith post on poverty in Japan seems to encapsulate it pretty well.

From The Daily Beast

Today's cameras-from the disposables to the fully automated-encapsulate everything we have to know to operate them.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• sum up
• summarize

More About Encapsulate

What does encapsulate mean?

To encapsulate figuratively means to summarize or condense, as in Rhia encapsulated the three-hour lecture into a 20-minute video.

When you encapsulate something, you can still see the clear vision of what is being summarized but in a shorter time or with less effort. Movie trailers should encapsulate the movie (without giving away the ending, thank you very much). And when you use multiple skills to create something, such as a product, you could that product encapsulates your talents.

To encapsulate literally means to place in a capsule or as if in a capsule, such as a dose of medicine placed inside a gelatinous case.

Example: This interview really encapsulates the feelings that most of our patients have toward the new treatment.

Where does encapsulate come from?

The first records of the term encapsulate come from around the 1860s. It combines the prefix en–, which forms verbs with a meaning of “to cause to be in,” and the term capsulate, meaning “enclosed in or formed in a capsule.”

Encapsulate is used within several scientific fields. This includes biology, where a capsule most often refers to a layer of slime found surrounding certain bacterial cells.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to encapsulate?

• encapsulation (noun)

What are some synonyms for encapsulate?

• box
• sheathe
• wrap
• summarize

What are some words that share a root or word element with encapsulate?

• capsule
• encapsule
• encapsulation

What are some words that often get used in discussing encapsulate?

• ideas
• figures
• events

How is encapsulate used in real life?

In the scientific fields, encapsulate often in a literal sense. Outside of science, it is almost always used figuratively.

You cannot expect a 42min doc on corp tv to fully encapsulate & satisfy YOU & HER & HIM & THEM. But you better want it to try. #StayWokeBET

— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) May 27, 2016

If the Giants entered the ninth inning looking to encapsulate their season in 20 minutes, they did a pretty delightful job of executing.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 12, 2016

The new #Batman trailer is everything I hoped it would be! Sensational. Truly does encapsulate the “Dark Knight” ❤️ @TheDCEU @mattreevesLA is genius!

— Prithviraj Sukumaran (@PrithviOfficial) August 23, 2020

 

Try using encapsulate!

True or False?

When you encapsulate a report, you summarize it, including the most important points.