embedment

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

em•bed /ɛmˈbɛd/   v. [~ + object] , -bed•ded, -bed•ding. 

1. to fix or put (something) firmly into a surrounding mass:
   to embed stones in cement.
2. to contain or implant as an essential part:
   His love of children is deeply embedded in his personality.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

em•bed  (em bed′), v., -bed•ded, -bed•ding. 
v.t. 

1. to fix into a surrounding mass:
   to embed stones in cement.
2. to surround tightly or firmly;
   envelop or enclose:
   Thick cotton padding embedded the precious vase in its box.
3. to incorporate or contain as an essential part or characteristic:
   A love of color is embedded in all of her paintings.
4. [Histol.] to infiltrate (a biological tissue) with molten paraffin or other plastic material that later solidifies, enabling the preparation to be sliced very thin for viewing under a microscope.
5. Mathematics to map a set into another set.
6. Linguistics, Grammar [Gram.] to insert (a construction, as a phrase or clause) into a larger construction, as a clause or sentence.

v.i. 

7. to be or become fixed or incorporated, as into a surrounding mass:
   Glass embeds in the soft tar of the road.

Also, imbed. 

• em-¹ + bed 1770–80

em•bed′ment, n.