encircler

Encircler is a noun formed from the verb encircle with the agent suffix -er. It denotes a person or thing that encircles something. The term is not widely used as a formal title or technical label; more precise terminology is common in most contexts.

In military usage, an encircler refers to a force or unit that closes in to surround an opponent, creating an encirclement intended to isolate and defeat them. The concept is central to several historical and strategic discussions, where terms like encirclement or double envelopment are more frequently used than the noun encircler itself.

In engineering and manufacturing, an encircler can describe a device or tool designed to form a circular boundary or layer around an object. Examples include equipment that applies a gasket, seal, collar, or wrap to a pipe, shaft, or other components, effectively creating an encircling band or ring.

In mathematics and computing, the term may appear informally to describe methods that construct a boundary encircling a set of points. More standard terms in these fields include enclosing curves, convex hulls, or enclosing polygons; encircler is typically a descriptive or neologistic usage rather than a formal designation.

Overall, encircler tends to appear in descriptive writing or as a generic label rather than as a widely adopted professional or technical term. It is often superseded by more specific language tailored to the domain of application.

See also: encirclement, enclosure, ring, gasket, convex hull.