Enshielded

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Definitions

1. Protected or covered by a shield; guarded from harm or danger by a protective barrier; enveloped in a defensive covering to prevent damage
2. Sheltered or defended through the use of a shield; secured against attack or injury by surrounding with protection; enclosed within a safeguarding shield
3. Wrapped or shielded to provide defense; preserved from risk by an encasing shield; surrounded with a protective layer to ensure safety

Etymology: "Enshielded" is the past tense and past participle of "enshield," a verb built in English from the prefix "en-" and the noun "shield." The prefix "en-" comes from Old French and is used to form verbs meaning "to put into" or "to surround with," so "enshield" means to place within a shield, or to cover and protect with one. Its sense of being guarded from harm follows directly from that protective image, the way a body is wrapped in armour. Because the verb is a simple combination of two familiar parts, its history is plain: it is a formation made from existing English materials rather than a borrowing from another language. Its use as an adjective, "enshielded," reflects the same participle that the past tense of the verb uses.

Synonyms: protected, shielded, sheltered, guarded, defended

Antonyms: exposed, unshielded, vulnerable, unprotected, defenseless