embedded

American  

[em-bed-id] / ɛmˈbɛd ɪd /

Sometimes imbedded

adjective

1. fixed or snugly enclosed in a surrounding mass.

   The young turtles are weighed, measured, and tagged with an embedded microchip before being released back into the salt marsh.

2. incorporated into something as an essential characteristic.

   In any cultural context, deeply embedded values and attitudes can be difficult to change.

3. 1. being or relating to a journalist assigned to travel with a military unit or political campaign.

      He was an embedded reporter with the First Marine Division during the invasion of Iraq.

   2. working closely with a group or participating in a special event as an invited expert, creative professional, etc..

      As Radio 3’s first embedded composer, he is writing one new piece of music a week for the breakfast show.

4. Digital Technology. (of text, images, sound, or code) placed in a computer file, HTML document, software program, or electronic device.

   Click here or watch the embedded video below to learn more about the work of our Foundation.

5. Grammar. (of a construction, as a phrase or clause) inserted into a larger construction, as a clause or sentence.

   Informative texts often include unfamiliar technical vocabulary and complex sentences with embedded clauses.

6. Histology. (of biological tissue) infiltrated with melted paraffin or other such material that later solidifies, enabling the preparation to be sliced very thin for viewing under a microscope (sometimes used in combination).

   The fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues were cut into sections 5 μm thick and mounted on glass slides.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of embed.

Etymology

Origin of embedded

embed ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Yet she believes that the company is deeply embedded within the market, and is preferred enough over local competitors to hedge this risk.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

Helium is deeply embedded across many modern industries.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

However, maintaining the right balance requires additional proteins embedded in the lysosomal membrane.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

To help overcome the not-insignificant expense of buying a strangle, we chose a short expiration that reduces the amount of time premium embedded in the options.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

To the right is a small office with a glass window that has inch-wide squares of thin wire embedded in it; inside, nurses sit at computers.

From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini

Related Words

• fixed
• ingrained
• installed
• planted