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ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

inset.

To set in; infix or implant.

5 characters2 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

verb/ˈɪnsɛt/

  1. To set in; infix or implant.

    transitive

  2. To insert something.

    transitive

  3. To add an inset to something.

    transitive
Where this word comes from

From Middle English insetten, from Old English insettan (“to set in, institute, appoint”), equivalent to in- + set. Cognate with Dutch inzetten (“to insert, set in”), Low German insetten (“to set in”), German einsetzen (“to insert, employ”), Danish indsætte (“to insert”), Swedish insätta (“to inset, induct, institute”), Icelandic innsetja (“to install”).

noun/ˈɪnsɛt/

  1. A smaller thing set into a larger thing, such as a small picture inside a larger one.

    a map of the whole state with city maps as insets

  2. Anything inserted.

  3. A small piece of material used to strengthen a garment.

  4. A modular microphone that can be removed from a telephone handset without disassembly.

  5. An opening partway down a shaft, giving access to the intermediate levels.

Where this word comes from

From Middle English insetten, from Old English insettan (“to set in, institute, appoint”), equivalent to in- + set. Cognate with Dutch inzetten (“to insert, set in”), Low German insetten (“to set in”), German einsetzen (“to insert, employ”), Danish indsætte (“to insert”), Swedish insätta (“to inset, induct, institute”), Icelandic innsetja (“to install”).

adj/ˈɪnsɛt/

  1. Having been inset.

    the inset diamonds
    the inset liners
Where this word comes from

From Middle English insetten, from Old English insettan (“to set in, institute, appoint”), equivalent to in- + set. Cognate with Dutch inzetten (“to insert, set in”), Low German insetten (“to set in”), German einsetzen (“to insert, employ”), Danish indsætte (“to insert”), Swedish insätta (“to inset, induct, institute”), Icelandic innsetja (“to install”).

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.