What does enlaced mean?
"Enlaced" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "enlace," meaning to encircle, bind, or interweave something with another element — as when ivy enlaces a wall, ribbons enlace a gift, or two people walk arm in arm with fingers enlaced. The word derives ultimately from the Latin "laqueus" (noose or snare) via Old French "las" and Middle French "lac," the source of modern "lace," which explains its core image of a flexible cord winding around an object. Though grammatically a verb form, "enlaced" frequently functions adjectivally, describing things that are intertwined or clasped together. Its register is literary and slightly formal; in ordinary conversation speakers tend to reach for "entwined" or "wrapped around" instead. It appears most naturally in descriptive and romantic contexts, lending prose an elegant, tactile quality that plainer verbs lack.
Encircled, bound, or interwoven with something twisted around it; clasped or embraced closely.
"Vines had enlaced the iron gate until it could barely open."
Almost always used transitively; the thing doing the winding is the subject.
Intertwined or bound with something else; wound closely around.
"She admired the enlaced garlands draped across the banquet hall."
Often followed by "with" or "in" to specify what does the binding.
"Enlaced" carries the Latin word for a noose in its DNA: "laqueus," the loop that catches, became the thread that binds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of enlaced
Enlaced comes from "enlace," formed from the prefix "en-" plus "lace," which entered Middle English from Old French "las" or "laisse" (cord, string), ultimately deriving from the Latin "laqueus" meaning noose or snare. The verb appeared in English in the late Middle Ages and has always carried the sense of binding or intertwining with cords, vines, or limbs. Its closest relatives are "lace" itself and Spanish-derived "lasso," all descendants of the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How enlaced is actually used
Literary and somewhat formal or poetic in register; everyday English usually prefers "entwined" or "intertwined." As an adjective, "enlaced" typically appears attributively or predicatively after a linking verb, often followed by "with" or "in."
Easily confused with enlaced
"Unlaced" means having had laces loosened or removed (e.g. shoes), while "enlaced" means the opposite — bound or intertwined with something.