immerse

Immerse is a verb with several related meanings centered on the idea of surrounding or covering something with a substance or experience. The word originates from Latin immergere, meaning to dip in, from in- 'in' and mergere 'to dip or sink'.

Submerge or dip: To place something into a liquid so that it is entirely or partially covered. Objects can be immersed for cleaning, cooking, dyeing, or chemical processing.

To envelop or surround in a non-literal sense: To immerse something in a medium or experience, such as water, flame, or information. For example, to immerse oneself in a new culture or in a novel.

Immersion in education and training: Language immersion programs place students in a learning environment where instruction is delivered in a target language, with the goal of acquiring language proficiency alongside subject content. Immersion can also refer to immersive education practices using embodied or experiential learning.

Immersive technology and media: In contemporary contexts, 'immerse' is used to describe experiences that envelop the user, such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), or immersive theater.

Scientific and technical usages: In optics and microscopy, immersion refers to using immersion fluids (such as immersion oil) to reduce refraction and improve numerical aperture. An immersion lens is designed to operate with such a fluid between the lens and specimen.