A hollow part or opening that something fits into, such as an electrical outlet or the place where a bone fits into another bone. It holds and connects another object or part.
“Socket” comes from Anglo‑Norman French “soc,” meaning “plowshare,” and a diminutive suffix “‑et,” meaning “little.” It originally referred to a small hollow or base where something was fixed. English extended it to many kinds of holders and openings.
Your eye socket and your power socket share the same basic idea: a shaped hole that holds something vital. The word is a reminder that biology and technology often solve connection problems in similar ways. Language just reuses the same label for both.
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