enfold

verb

"enfold" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“enfold” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To envelop and wrap up something.

Corpus desk

Index EN-enfold · enfold · English

enfold · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "E" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for enfold
PropertyValue
Headwordenfold
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “enfold” in English

enfoldfalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

enfold is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for enfold, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: Alteration of earlier infold, from Middle English infolden, equivalent to en- + fold. The correct English form is enfold, spelled E-N-F-O-L-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    To envelop and wrap up something.
  2. 2
    To clasp with the arms; embrace.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how enfold appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. In words, like weeds, I’ll wrap me o’er, ⁠Like coarsest clothes against the cold: ⁠But that large grief which these enfold Is given in outline and no more.
  2. Prais’d be the fathomless universe, / For life and joy, and for objects and knowledge curious, / And for love, sweet love—but praise! praise! praise! / For the sure-enwinding arms of cool-enfolding death.

Etymology

Alteration of earlier infold, from Middle English infolden, equivalent to en- + fold.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "enfold"?
"enfold" is spelled E-N-F-O-L-D.
What does "enfold" mean?
As a verb, "enfold" means: To envelop and wrap up something.
What is the origin of the word "enfold"?
Alteration of earlier infold, from Middle English infolden, equivalent to en- + fold. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list