Word of the Day: ENGULF

Swallow up or submerge

engulf (verb) - to sweep or flow over something and fully surround, enclose, or immerse it [en-guhlf]

• a gulf is a large ocean inlet or a physical or figurative chasm, abyss, or gap

BREAKDOWN: The word gulf bubbled through French, Italian, and Middle English from the Latin colfos and, before that, the Greek kólpos meaning bay or bosom. The meaning of the word to depict a body of water substantially predates the implication of a gap or chasm.

“The man who pauses on the paths of treason halts on a quicksand: the first step engulfs him.” —Aaron Hill

[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]