Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ENCAPSULATE

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explore the archives: Because I love organization, especially containers, I love the word encapsulate: it means "to enclose or to summarize, as if in a container," and you can see the word "capsule" nestled neatly inside it. (Well, okay, the "e" snapped off in the process.) Similarly, see if you can take the word essence and store it neatly between a prefix and a suffix to create an adjective meaning "the most typical of its kind, or the purest of its kind." (You'll have to snap the "-ce" off the end of "essence.") make your point with... "ENCAPSULATE" A capsule is basically a small container. ("Capsule" means something slightly different depending on whether you're talking about planes, plants, medicine, etc.) So, to literally encapsulate something is to put it into a small container. And to figuratively encapsulate something is to express, condense, or summarize it neatly, as if you're placing it into a small container. Pronunciation: en CAP suh late Part of speech: Transitive verb. (Like "eat," "try," and "want," all transitive verbs do something to an object. You eat a banana, try a game, and want a new phone. Likewise, you encapsulate something.) Other forms: encapsulated, encapsulating, encapsulation How to use it: Talk about a small thing that encapsulates a bigger thing. The small thing might be an object, a symbol, a gesture, a word or phrase, a slogan, a story, a song, or a statement. And the bigger thing might be a style, a quality or aspect, an identity, an emotion or reaction, a mood or tone, a theme, a trend, a strategy, a belief or belief system, a culture, a slice of history, a relationship, or a phenomenon. Often we use the active voice: a small thing encapsulates a bigger thing. But you can use the passive, too: a big thing is encapsulated in or by a smaller thing. examples: NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) encapsulates our culture's outrageous confidence, our belief that anybody can do anything. "The Raven" encapsulates everything I love about Poe's over-the-top style of writing. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "encapsulate" means when you can explain it without saying "sum up" or "compress into a small thing." try it out: Think of a beloved place or period of time. Fill in the blanks: "(Some specific object, phrase, or other thing) encapsulate(s) the (spirit/excitement/coziness/joy/peacefulness, etc.) of (a certain place or time)." Example: "These bubbling Christmas lights encapsulate the excitement of childhood Christmases."  before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing with the original and literal meanings of familiar words. I'll give you three words and their original or literal definitions, and you'll match them up. Easy! But then the following day, see if you can recall those old meanings. Hard! :) Our game has two purposes. One, we'll visit the interesting, thought-provoking old meanings of words. And two, we'll remind ourselves of a powerful learning strategy: delayed recalling. Let's play! First, try to recall from yesterday the literal meaning of "pretend" and the original meanings of "silly" and "awkward." Answers appear at the bottom of this issue. Next, match these words to their original or literal definitions in the answer bank below: 1. "Indent" originally meant _____ 2. "Confetti" literally means _____ 3. "Bacteria" literally means _____ Answer bank: A. "little sticks." B. "to give tooth-like notches." C. "sweetmeats." review today's word: 1. The opposite of ENCAPSULATE is A. REDESIGN B. COMMENT C. EXPAND 2. The island's history is _____, defying encapsulation. A. bloody B. colorful C. complex Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to game questions: 1. "Silly" originally meant "worthy" or "holy." 2. "Pretend" literally means "to stretch before." 3. "Awkward" originally meant "in the wrong direction." Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. C