ENVELOPE Definition & Meaning

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envelope

[ en-vuh-lohp, ahn- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a flat paper container, as for a letter or thin package, usually having a gummed flap or other means of closure.
something that envelops; a wrapper, integument, or surrounding cover.
Biology. a surrounding or enclosing structure, as a corolla or an outer membrane.
Geometry. a curve or surface tangent to each member of a set of curves or surfaces.
Radio. (of a modulated carrier wave) a curve connecting the peaks of a graph of the instantaneous value of the electric or magnetic component of the carrier wave as a function of time.
the fabric structure enclosing the gasbag of an aerostat.
the gasbag itself.
Electronics. the airtight glass or metal housing of a vacuum tube.
the technical limits within which an aircraft or electronic system may be safely operated.

envelope

/ ˈɒn-; ˈɛnvəˌləʊp /

noun

a flat covering of paper, usually rectangular in shape and with a flap that can be folded over and sealed, used to enclose a letter, etc
any covering or wrapper
biology any enclosing structure, such as a membrane, shell, or skin
the bag enclosing the gas in a balloon
maths a curve or surface that is tangent to each one of a group of curves or surfaces
electronics the sealed glass or metal housing of a valve, electric light, etc
telecomm the outer shape of a modulated wave, formed by the peaks of successive cycles of the carrier wave
push the envelope informal.
to push the boundaries of what is possible

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of envelope¹

1700–10; < French enveloppe, derivative of envelopper to envelop

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of envelope¹

C18: from French enveloppe, from envelopper to wrap around; see envelop ; sense 8 from aeronautics jargon, referring to graphs of aircraft performance

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Idioms and Phrases

push the envelope, to stretch established limits, as in technological advance or social innovation.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The union, Unite Here Local 11, filed a complaint with the California labor commissioner’s office Thursday alleging that 1Fifty1 Inc., based in Costa Mesa, paid convention workers under the table with cash in envelopes.

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Unite Here Local 11 accused event management company 1Fifty1 Inc., subcontracted by the Long Beach Convention Center, of paying workers under the table with envelopes of cash.

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“We’re going to have habits that lead us to those places,” she added, “and now we’ve got to push the envelope.”

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He left an envelope for Lucy containing a note imploring her to pack up everything and disappear along with their teenage son.

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In a statement she called the late-night host and globe-trotting comedian “a master of invention and reinvention, consistently pushing the envelope in search of new comedic heights.”

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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