Embowerment

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of providing shelter or protection by surrounding with foliage or trees
2. The process of enclosing or shading in a comforting manner, often with plants or greenery
3. An arrangement where natural elements create a soothing and safe environment through enclosure

Etymology: "Embowerment" is formed from the verb "embower," meaning to enclose or shelter in a bower, with the suffix "-ment" added to turn the action into a noun. A bower is a leafy shelter, traditionally a cluster of trees, branches or climbing plants trained into a shady retreat, and to embower something is to surround it with such greenery. The noun therefore names the state of being sheltered in that way, or the leafy enclosure itself. The pattern is a simple one. English has long attached "-ment" to verbs to name the result or condition of an action, as in "enjoyment" or "arrangement," and "embowerment" follows the same route from its base. The word is a transparent compound of familiar parts rather than a borrowing, so its meaning can be read straight from its pieces: en-, to cover or surround, bower, a leafy shelter, and -ment, the resulting state.

Synonyms: enclosure, covering, sheltering

Antonyms: exposure, uncovering