Implant: meaning, definitions and examples

Used primarily in medical and dental fields to refer to a device or tissue that is placed inside the body, often permanently, for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.

• The dentist recommended a dental implant to replace the missing tooth
• The surgeon implanted a pacemaker to help regulate the patient's heartbeat

Commonly used in medical surgery, especially in skin and organ procedures, to refer to transplanted tissue or organs taken from one part of the body or from a donor to another part. It is also used in horticulture to mean joining parts of plants together.

• The burn victim required a skin graft to repair the damaged areas
• The gardener successfully grafted a branch of the apple tree onto the pear tree

A general term used to describe the act of putting something into something else, often used in both medical and non-medical contexts.

• The doctor explained that the insertion of the catheter would not be painful
• The insertion of the new software module solved the previous bugs

Most frequently used in medicine to describe the process of transferring an organ or tissue from one body to another, usually to replace a damaged or failing organ.

• John was on the waiting list for a liver transplant
• The patient successfully underwent a heart transplant surgery

Used primarily in medical or biological contexts to refer to inserting something, usually a device or tissue, into the body.

• The surgeon will implant the pacemaker tomorrow
• Scientists are working to develop implants that can monitor blood sugar levels

Commonly used in a broader range of contexts, including technology, to describe inserting an object or idea deeply into something else.

• The journalist was embedded with the military unit during the mission
• The software engineer embedded the code into the main application

Used typically in technical or mechanical settings to refer to setting up equipment or software to be ready for use.

• They will install the new air conditioning system next week
• Can you help me install the latest software update on my computer?

Mainly used in medical, horticultural, or biological situations to refer to the process of transplanting living tissue or plants.

• The doctor performed a skin graft on the burn victim
• Farmers often graft different types of plants together to create hybrids