To set or fix firmly and deeply into a surrounding material or context; in digital media, to insert content from one source into another.
From 'em-' (variant of 'in-') plus 'bed,' literally meaning to place in a bed or foundation. The computer science usage emerged in the 1990s with web development, extending the physical concept to digital insertion.
The evolution of 'embed' from physical placement to digital insertion perfectly mirrors how we think about information - we still conceptualize data as having physical properties that can be 'placed' within other structures. Embedded journalists represent another fascinating use, where reporters become part of the story they're covering.
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