implant

verb im·plant \ im-ˈplant \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of implant

transitive verb

1 a : to fix or set securely or deeply

a ruby implanted in the idol's forehead

b : to set permanently in the consciousness or habit patterns : inculcate

2 : to insert in living tissue (as for growth, slow release, or formation of an organic union)

subcutaneously implanted hormone pellets

intransitive verb

: to undergo implantation

the failure of embryos to implant

—

implantable

play \im-ˈplan-tə-bəl\ adjective

—

implanter

play \im-ˈplan-tər\ noun

See implant defined for English-language learners

See implant defined for kids

Examples of implant in a Sentence

a hearing aid that is surgically implanted in the ear
a music teacher who strove to implant within his students a love of the classics

Recent Examples of implant from the Web

However, doctors implanted two embryos that did not result in a pregnancy.

— char adams, PEOPLE.com, "Husband Gives Emotional Account of His Wife's Fertility Struggles: 'I Wish It Could've Been Me'," 27 Mar. 2018
Originally getting approval from insurers to implant the device could take time, but that is changing as insurers become more familiar with the device, Manchanda said.

— shari rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, "Apnea woes? New implanted device may restore uninterrupted sleep," 27 Mar. 2018
Even touching the figures’ hair, which studio artists in London painstakingly implant into heads strand by strand, is allowed.

— New York Times, "The Politics of Waxing," 26 Mar. 2018
Question one of 264 patients; question two of 185 Other doctors argue against implanting mosaic embryos.

— sumathi reddy, WSJ, "IVF Testing Spurs a Debate Over ‘Mosaic’ Embryos," 21 Mar. 2018
Other recent work involved implanting electrodes in the brains of macaques to learn how neurons responded when the monkeys looked at faces, which gives scientists a better understanding of how humans create face images.

— emily matchar, Smithsonian, "A New Study Brings Scientists One Step Closer To Mind Reading," 6 Mar. 2018
The Web site for the foundation tells the story of how Boxer Wachler treated Holcomb, who was legally blind at the time, but stopped the progression of the Keratoconus with his procedure and then implanted lenses that restored his eyesight.

— dan wolken, USA TODAY, "Steven Holcomb's legacy extends beyond the ice at 2018 Winter Olympics," 23 Feb. 2018
Laying down some classic Trek technobabble, Culber explains that the Klingons did something more than just torture Tyler, implanting a consciousness within him to change him into something else.

— darren orf, Popular Mechanics, "On Star Trek: Discovery, Things Get Evil," 8 Jan. 2018
In the following decades, efforts focused on aggressive behavior modification techniques meant to implant strong aversions to homosexuality.

— chris weller, Newsweek, "Never Scared Straight," 1 May 2014

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'implant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of implant

15th century

See Words from the same year

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

NEW! Time Traveler

implant Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of implant

implant, inculcate, instill, inseminate, infix mean to introduce into the mind. implant implies teaching that makes for permanence of what is taught.

- implanted a love of reading in her students

inculcate implies persistent or repeated efforts to impress on the mind.

- tried to inculcate in him high moral standards

instill stresses gradual, gentle imparting of knowledge over a long period of time.

- instill traditional values in your children

inseminate applies to a sowing of ideas in many minds so that they spread through a class or nation.

- inseminated an unquestioning faith in technology

infix stresses firmly inculcating a habit of thought.

- infixed a chronic cynicism

implant

noun im·plant \ ˈim-ˌplant \

Definition of implant

: something (such as a graft or device) implanted in tissue — compare cochlear implant

See implant defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of implant from the Web

Any pain or deformity of the breast should be pointed out to your doctor, since that can be caused by things like scar tissue, infection, implant rupture, or an infection from past silicone injections.

— SELF, "6 Things You Should Know Before Having Top Surgery," 22 Mar. 2018
Others, like myself, already have implants that can start cars, open doors, and pay for things.

— zoltan istvan, Newsweek, "Quantum Archaeology: The Quest to 3D Bioprint Every Dead Person Back to Life," 9 Mar. 2018
Teenage girls were supposedly driven to get breast implants because of her.

— aja romano, Vox, "Why we’ve been arguing about Lara Croft for two decades," 17 Mar. 2018
In both surgeries, the doctor removes the unhealthy disc and inserts the bone piece or the Mobi-C. Both implants work to match the disc height to the levels above and below - to relieve pressure on the nerves and/or spinal cord.

— tj gibson, azcentral, "Is Mobi-C for me? The new cervical disc solution.," 14 Mar. 2018
Unfortunately, this also meant that the first few hookups involved my partner squeezing my implants too tightly, which was incredibly painful.

— erika stallings, The Cut, "Relearning How to Date After My Double Mastectomy," 1 Mar. 2018
Companies are trying to figure out how to make proven drugs even more effective—and easier to use—than the available options, including through implants, patches, and other technologies.

— sy mukherjee, Fortune, "This GV-Backed Company Thinks Its "Robotic Pill" Could Replace Painful Drug Injections," 8 Feb. 2018
The crushed rocks, known as tailings, are rich in magnesium, a mineral that can be transformed into a light metal that’s used in everything from medical implants to Tesla electric cars.

— sandrine rastello, Bloomberg.com, "Magnesium May Save the Town of Asbestos," 7 Mar. 2018
RuPaul noted that Peppermint did not get breast implants until after the show.

— john paul brammer /, NBC News, "Transgender women on 'Drag Race'? RuPaul's remarks spawn backlash," 6 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of implant

1890

See Words from the same year

in the meaning defined above

NEW! Time Traveler

IMPLANT Defined for English Language Learners

implant

verb

Definition of implant for English Language Learners

: to put (something) in a specified place; especially medical : to place (something) in a person's body by means of surgery
: to cause (something) to become a part of the way a person thinks or feels

implant

noun

Definition of implant for English Language Learners

medical : something placed in a person's body by means of surgery

IMPLANT Defined for Kids

implant

verb im·plant \ im-ˈplant \

Definition of implant for Students

implanted; implanting

: to set securely or deeply Doctors implanted the hearing device.

Medical Dictionary

implant

transitive verb im·plant \ im-ˈplant \

medical Definition of implant

1 : to set permanently in the consciousness or habit patterns

2 a : to insert or fix in a living site (as for growth, slow release, or formation of an organic union)

subcutaneously implanted hormone pellets

b : to insert an implant in

100 patients have been implanted with nylon ribbons without complications
—U. K. Henschke

intransitive verb

: to undergo implantation : become implanted

failure of embryos to implant

implant

noun im·plant \ ˈim-ˌplant \

medical Definition of implant

: something (as a graft, a small container of radioactive material for treatment of cancer, or a pellet containing hormones to be gradually absorbed) that is implanted especially in tissue