What does "wrapping" mean?

1. (covering material) the paper, plastic, or cloth used to cover and protect an object. 2. (text layout) the way text automatically moves to a new line when it reaches the edge of a screen.

wrapping

US //ˈɹæpɪŋ// UK //ɹˈæpɪŋ// wrap·ping

1 covering material (n.)
B1 Intermediate

the paper, plastic, or cloth used to cover and protect an object.

the material, such as paper or film, used to encase or protect an item.

Example

Please throw the plastic wrapping in the bin after you open the box.

Example

The manufacturer replaced the traditional foil wrapping with a biodegradable alternative to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging.
2 text layout (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Computing

the way text automatically moves to a new line when it reaches the edge of a screen.

the automatic arrangement of text into lines so that it fits within the specified width of a window or column.

Example

If you turn off text wrapping, you will have to scroll sideways to read the whole sentence.

Example

The developer adjusted the CSS properties to ensure that text wrapping functioned correctly on mobile devices with narrow screens.
- word wrap
- line break

Etymology 1

From Middle English wrappinge, wrappynge, equivalent to wrap + -ing.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.