Encapsulation

[en-kap-suh-leyt, -syoo-] /ɛnˈkæp səˌleɪt, -syʊ-/

verb (used with object), encapsulated, encapsulating.
1.
to place in or as if in a capsule.
2.
to summarize or condense.
verb (used without object), encapsulated, encapsulating.
3.
to become enclosed in or as if in a capsule.
/ɪnˈkæpsjʊˌleɪt/
verb
1.
to enclose or be enclosed in or as if in a capsule
2.
(transitive) to sum up in a short or concise form; condense; abridge
n.

1860, from encapsulate + -ion.
v.

1874, from en- (1) “make, put in” + capsulate (see capsule). Related: Encapsulated; encapsulating.

encapsulate en·cap·su·late (ěn-kāp’sə-lāt’)
v. en·cap·su·lat·ed, en·cap·su·lat·ing, en·cap·su·lates

en·cap’su·la’tion n.

1. The technique used by layered protocols in which a layer adds header information to the protocol data unit (PDU) from the layer above. As an example, in Internet terminology, a packet would contain a header from the physical layer, followed by a header from the network layer (IP), followed by a header from the transport layer (TCP), followed by the application protocol data.
2. The ability to provide users with a well-defined interface to a set of functions in a way which hides their internal workings. In object-oriented programming, the technique of keeping together data structures and the methods (procedures) which act on them.
(1998-09-07)