Overfold

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. To fold or bend something over again in a repeated manner; to cover or overlap by folding one part entirely over another; to increase thickness or layers by folding fabric, paper, or material over itself
2. The act of folding a material back over itself more than once; creating an overlapping layer by bending one section over another; increasing the density or bulk by multiple folds in textiles or sheets
3. Folding a section repeatedly to create multiple layers; covering one part by bending it over another fully; thickening material by successive folding to produce an overlapped surface

Etymology: "Overfold" is a plain compound: the prefix "over-", meaning above or across, joined to "fold," which traces back to Old English "fealdan," to bend or lay in layers. Put together, the word describes folding one thing across or on top of another, or doubling material back over itself. The geological sense has a more specific history. Geologists use "overfold" for a fold in rock strata that has been pushed so far that its upper limb lies tilted over its lower one. That usage follows the German "Überfaltung," meaning the same thing, and English geologists adopted the term from that German technical vocabulary rather than building it from scratch in English.

Synonyms: fold over, double fold, crease, overlap

Antonyms: unfold, flatten, spread out