Definition of engulf

The word "engulf" has its roots in Old English and Germanic languages. It comes from the Proto-Germanic word "galubiz," which is also the source of the Modern English word "gulch." This Proto-Germanic word is thought to be derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "ghel-" meaning "to swallow" or "to drink." In Old English, the word "engulf" was spelled "engulfrican" or "ingulfian," and it meant "to swallow up" or "to overwhelm." The word initially referred to the action of swallowing or consuming something, but over time it came to be used figuratively to describe the act of overwhelming or swampy affects something. In Middle English (circa 1100-1500), the word "engulf" began to take on the meaning we know today, referring to the act of enveloping or surrounding something, often suddenly or unexpectedly, often with a sense of danger or destruction.