Cocooned

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Surrounded or enclosed completely in a protective layer or covering, often to keep safe or insulated
2. Wrapped securely within a shield-like layer to protect from outside elements or harm
3. Encased entirely in a soft protective shell or covering that shelters from external conditions

Etymology: The silkworm's pupal case is the thing being described here, and the word for it came into English from French "cocon", a diminutive of "coque", meaning "shell". So a cocoon is literally a little shell, and the shell image is what carries the sense of enclosure. "Cocooned" is simply the past form of the verb built on that noun. Its meaning has widened from the insect's silk casing to any person or object wrapped up snugly, shielded from the outside. The protective idea is the one that stayed with the word as it moved from the silkworm to everyday speech.

Synonyms: wrapped, enveloped, covered, shrouded, enclosed

Antonyms: exposed, uncovered, revealed, opened, disclosed