insertion
Americannoun
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the act of inserting.
the insertion of a coin in a vending machine.
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something inserted.
an insertion in the middle of a paragraph.
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Botany, Zoology.
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the manner or place of attachment, as of an organ.
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attachment of a part or organ, with special reference to the site or manner of such attachment.
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lace, embroidery, or the like, to be sewn at each edge between parts of other material.
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Aerospace. injection.
noun
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the act of inserting or something that is inserted
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a word, sentence, correction, etc, inserted into text, such as a newspaper
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a strip of lace, embroidery, etc, between two pieces of material
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anatomy the point or manner of attachment of a muscle to the bone that it moves
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botany the manner or point of attachment of one part to another
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of insertion
First recorded in 1570–80, insertion is from the Late Latin word insertiōn- (stem of insertiō ). See insert, -ion
Explanation
An insertion is when you put something into another thing, like the insertion of a key into a lock, or the insertion of a comment into a conversation. You probably notice that the noun insertion contains the verb insert, meaning “put in.” An insertion is something that’s put into something else. It can be used literally to describe, for example, the insertion of a page in a binder, but it also can be used more figuratively. For example, the insertion of the president into office happens every four years. And your brother may constantly make insertions into discussions he knows nothing about.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At main engine cutoff, when the RS-25 engines shut down, the spacecraft was traveling at more than 18,000 miles per hour and reached its intended orbital insertion point with high precision.
From Science Daily • May 4, 2026
During the process, the insertion of a breathing tube damaged his vocal cords, leaving him questioning whether he would ever be able to sing again, he told The Times in 2021.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
DexCom has since owned up to its reliability issues, saying they originated with the subcut needle insertion mechanism rather than the sensor itself.
From Barron's • Dec. 2, 2025
This is Wells’ first IUD, so she can’t compare a medicated insertion to an unmedicated one.
From Slate • Sep. 7, 2025
The men went through the insertion door and found themselves in an empty storage room.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
