- 2-minute read
- 25th August 2015
Word Choice: Envelop vs. Envelope
The words ‘envelop’ and ‘envelope’ both evolved from the Old French word enveloper, which meant ‘to wrap up’. But in English ‘envelop’ is a verb and ‘envelope’ is a noun, so it’s important not to get them confused.
This is especially true in academic writing and in the world of work, where even small errors can cause big problems. As such, you should take care to learn the difference between these words.
Envelop
The verb ‘envelop’ means ‘wrap, enclose or cover something’, which is pretty much the same as what enveloper meant in tenth-century Old French! It’s used when describing covering something up with something else:
Shirley sank into bed and allowed the duvet to envelop her.
It can also mean ‘surround something’:
The troops enveloped the city, laying it to siege.
Envelope
The word ‘envelope’ is a noun primarily used to describe a flat paper container for posting letters (back in the days before e-mail, anyway):
Sam sealed the envelope with a kiss.
Another use of ‘envelope’ is in the phrase ‘push the envelope’, which means ‘reach beyond existing limitations’:
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Terri’s new technique pushed the envelope of what she could achieve.
The word ‘envelope’ also has some technical uses. In biology, an ‘envelope’ is an enclosing structure of some kind (e.g. the membrane on an ‘enveloped virus’). In aeronautics, meanwhile, it refers to either the bag which contains air on a balloon or airship, or the limitations within which an aircraft can perform safely.
These technical uses aren’t very common, though, so unless you’re working in one of these areas you probably won’t need to remember them.
Envelop or Envelope?
The question here is whether what you’re describing demands a verb or a noun. Remember:
Envelop (verb) = The act of enclosing something within something else
Envelope (noun) = A paper container for letters
Even the technical uses of ‘envelope’ are nouns rather than verbs, so the same distinction applies for them (although viral membranes are much less useful for posting letters). However, even the savviest speller can make mistakes. To ensure your work is always its best, then, try sending in a 500-word free sample to Proofread My Essay today.
