Engrossment

Engrossment is a noun with two primary senses. The first and more general sense refers to the state of being completely absorbed or fascinated by something, such as an activity, idea, or object. In this usage, engrossment describes intense focus that can obscure awareness of surroundings, and it may be voluntary or prompted by compelling interest.

In a legal and parliamentary context, engrossment denotes a specific drafting stage. An engrossed bill is the final, official version of a proposed law that incorporates all parliamentary amendments. This engrossed copy is prepared for formal presentation, reading, and passage, and may be transmitted between houses of a legislature or to the executive for signature. The term is used in many common-law jurisdictions and is often distinguished from subsequent stages such as enrollment or enactment.

Etymology traces engrossment to Middle English engrossen, from Old French en gross, meaning to make large. The figurative sense of occupying substantial attention derives from the notion of something taking up a large amount of space or consideration.

Engrossment as a general term is common in everyday language when describing deep engagement with work, hobbies, or conversations. As a technical term, it remains primarily associated with the formal drafting and finalization of legislative texts.