Where does “envelope” come from?
Envelope comes from French enveloppe, derived from the Old French verb anveloper meaning to wrap or cover, formed from the prefix en- and a root of uncertain origin.
envelope (English): A paper or cardboard wrapper used to enclose...
Definitions
- A paper or cardboard wrapper used to enclose...
Ancestry of “envelope”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | enveloppe | envelope |
| 2 | Middle French | enveloppe | — |
| 3 | Old French | envelope | that which envelops, a type of garment; casing,... |
| 4 | Old French | envoloper | — |
| 5 | Old French | en- | en- in; into |
| 6 | Latin | īn- | un-, non-, not |
| 7 | Latin | în | in, at, on, upon, from (space) |
| 8 | Latin | en | lookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | en | in |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁én | in |