Enfoldings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act or process of surrounding or enclosing something completely with folds or layers ; the condition of being wrapped up or embraced by folds ; the state of being enveloped within layers or coverings
2. The state or action of wrapping or covering closely and protectively with folds ; the phenomenon of layers or curves folding over one another to enclose or protect ; the condition of something being surrounded or embraced by multiple folds or convolutions
3. The condition of being surrounded or embraced by wrapping layers or curving surfaces ; the process of enveloping or encasing by bending or folding ; the phenomenon of surrounding or enclosing within overlapping or enclosing layers

Etymology: "Enfoldings" is the plural of "enfolding," a noun meaning the act of wrapping something up or around. The base word is the verb "enfold," formed from the prefix "en-" (meaning "in" or "into," as in "enclose" or "encase") and "fold," which goes back to Old English "fealdan," to bend or lay over on itself. Putting the two together gives the sense of folding something inward, so that it is wrapped within a covering. The plural form simply counts separate acts or instances of this wrapping, as in several layers of cloth or repeated gatherings of a shape around something else. Its origin is therefore the ordinary English verb "enfold," with the plural added to it.

Synonyms: wrappings, embracings, coverings, envelopments, foldings

Antonyms: unfoldings, revealings, exposures, uncoverings