Implant means to place something firmly into something else, or the object that gets placed. When a surgeon implants a pacemaker, she carefully positions it inside a patient's chest to help their heart beat regularly. When dentists implant artificial teeth, they secure them into the jawbone so they work like natural teeth.

An implant (as a noun) is the actual device that gets placed inside: a medical implant might be a tiny electronic device that helps someone hear, or a metal rod that supports a broken bone while it heals. Some implants stay temporarily, while others remain permanently.

The word applies beyond medicine too. When you implant an idea in someone's mind, you're placing a thought there so firmly that it sticks and grows. A teacher might implant a love of reading in her students. Farmers implant seeds into soil, securing them where they can sprout.

The key is that something gets embedded or fixed in place, becoming part of its surroundings. A bookmark sits in a book, but a microchip gets implanted under a pet's skin. The word suggests permanence and security: once something is implanted, it settles in and remains secure.