envelop

the word 'envelop' entered english in the late 14th century from the old french 'envoluper', meaning 'to wrap up, cover, or surround'. the old french term was itself a compound of the prefix 'en-' (from latin 'in-', meaning 'in') and the verb 'voloper', likely derived from a gallo-roman root meaning 'to wrap'. this gallo-roman root is thought to be a blend of the latin 'volvere' (to roll) and a frankish or celtic element, creating the specific sense of wrapping. the core logic of the word has remained remarkably consistent from its origins: the action of putting something into a wrap or cover, evolving into the modern abstract sense of surrounding or concealing something completely.

Structure: en (in) + velop (wrap) en- (from latin, via old french, meaning 'in, into, put into'), velop (from latin 'volvere', via old french 'veloper', meaning 'to wrap, to roll')