implantable

[ im-plan-tuh-buhl, -plahn- ]

adjective

1. capable of being implanted.
2. pertaining to a device, as a micropump or porous polymer membrane, for surgical insertion under the skin for the controlled release of a drug.

noun

1. Surgery. a material, foreign to the body, that can be implanted without undue risk of rejection.

Word History and Origins

Origin of implantable¹

First recorded in 1955–60; implant + -able

Example Sentences

For these reasons, scientists are developing implantable technologies that use pulses of electricity to debug the neural circuits underlying disability and disease.

From Nautilus

While scientists recently developed implantable wireless optogenetic devices, these depend on relatively simple remote controls or limited sets of preprogrammed instructions.

From Science News

These new fully implantable optogenetic arrays for mice and rats can enable more sophisticated research.

From Science News

Researchers tested the first implantable device in patients in the United States in 1967.

From Science News

The device — the paddles often wielded in television medical dramas — quickly entered widespread use and led to more advanced implantable cardioverter-defibrillators placed inside the chest.

From Washington Post