envelop

/ɛnˈvɛləp/

//ɛnˈvɛləp// verb

"envelop" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“envelop” is an uncommon English word, ranked #54,160 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#54,160
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To surround, enclose or enfold.

Key facts for envelop
PropertyValue
Headwordenvelop
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɛnˈvɛləp/
Letters7
Frequency rank#54,160
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “envelop” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). envelop lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for envelop is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɛnˈvɛləp/. Corpus data places it at rank #54,160 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "To surround, enclose or enfold.".

envelop has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English envolupen, from Old French anveloper, envoluper (modern French envelopper), from en- + voloper, vloper (“to wrap, wrap up”) (compare Italian -viluppare; Old Italian alternative form goluppare (“to wrap”)) from Vulgar Latin *vuloppare (“t… The correct English form is envelop, spelled E-N-V-E-L-O-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    To surround, enclose or enfold.

Etymology

From Middle English envolupen, from Old French anveloper, envoluper (modern French envelopper), from en- + voloper, vloper (“to wrap, wrap up”) (compare Italian -viluppare; Old Italian alternative form goluppare (“to wrap”)) from Vulgar Latin *vuloppare (“to wrap”), from Proto-Germanic *wlappaną, *wrappaną (“to wrap, roll up, turn, wind”), from Proto-Indo-European *werb- (“to turn, bend”) http://www.wordnik.com/words/envelop. Akin to Middle English wlappen (“to wrap, fold”) (Modern English lap (“to wrap, involve, fold”)), Middle English wrappen (“to wrap”), Middle Dutch lappen (“to wrap up, embrace”), Danish dialectal vravle (“to wind, twist”), Middle Low German wrempen (“to wrinkle, distort”), Old English wearp (“warp”). Doublet of enwrap.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "envelop"?
"envelop" is spelled E-N-V-E-L-O-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ɛnˈvɛləp/.
What does "envelop" mean?
As a verb, "envelop" means: To surround, enclose or enfold.
How do you pronounce "envelop"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "envelop" is /ɛnˈvɛləp/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "envelop"?
From Middle English envolupen, from Old French anveloper, envoluper (modern French envelopper), from en- + voloper, vloper (“to wrap, wrap up”) (compare Italian -viluppare; Old Italian alternative form goluppare (“to wrap”)) from Vulgar Latin *vul... 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.

Using “envelop”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-N-V-E-L-O-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɛnˈvɛləp/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list