Circumfuse

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈsɜː(ɹ).kəmˌfjʊz/

Definitions

1. To envelop an object or area entirely with a substance To flow or pour around something in a surrounding manner To infuse or permeate another medium by completely encasing it
2. To flow in a surrounding manner around an object ; to encircle or envelop something on all sides ; to penetrate or saturate fully through encasement
3. To pour or move fluidly around a thing ; to encompass completely by surrounding it ; to deeply permeate or instill within a medium

Etymology: "Circumfuse" is a plain compound built from two Latin parts. The prefix "circum-" means "around" or "about," a sense familiar from words like "circumference" and "circumnavigate." The second element comes from "fuse," meaning "to pour," which traces back to the Latin "fundere," "to pour out." Put together, the word literally describes pouring something around something else. English took the prefix and the verb together, so the word is a formation within English rather than a term borrowed whole from Latin. Its meaning stays concrete: to surround a thing by pouring a substance over or about it, as in a liquid or a light spread around an object.

Synonyms: surround, envelop, encircle