envelope
noun
- a thing that envelops; wrapper; covering
- a folded paper container as for a letter, usually with a gummed flap for sealing
- the outer covering of a rigid airship
- the bag that contains the gas in a balloon or nonrigid airship
- the set of limitations, as for a particular aircraft, system, etc., within the boundaries of which it can operate safely and efficiently
- a set of limits or boundaries: usually in the informal phrase , to go beyond or attempt to go beyond established rules, limits, expectations, etc.
- Astron. a cloudy mass surrounding the nucleus of a comet; coma
- Biol. any enclosing membrane, skin, shell, etc.
- Math. a curve that is tangent to every one of a family of curves, or a surface that is tangent to every one of a family of surfaces
See envelope in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(ĕnˈvə-lōpˌ, ŏnˈ-)
noun- A flat paper container, especially for a letter, usually having a gummed flap.
- Something that envelops; a wrapping.
- Biology An enclosing structure or cover, such as a membrane or the outer coat of a virus.
- The bag containing the gas in a balloon or airship.
- The set of limitations within which a technological system, especially an aircraft, can perform safely and effectively.
- The coma of a comet.
- Mathematics A curve or surface that is tangent to every one of a family of curves or surfaces.
Usage Note: The word
envelope was borrowed into English from French during the early 18th century, and the first syllable acquired the pronunciation (ŏn) as an approximation to the nasalized French pronunciation. Gradually the word has become anglicized further and is now most commonly pronounced (ĕnˈvə-lōpˌ). The earlier pronunciation is still considered acceptable, however. A recent survey reveals that the (ŏnˈ-) pronunciation for the word
envelope is used by 30 percent of the Usage Panel and is recognized as an acceptable variant by about 20 percent of those Panelists who normally use the (ĕnˈ-) pronunciation. Other similar words borrowed from French in the modern period include
envoy (17th century),
encore, ennui, ensemble, entree (18th century),
entourage, and
entrepreneur (19th century). Most retain their pseudo-French pronunciations, with the exception of
envoy, which, like
envelope, is mainly pronounced with (ĕn) now.
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