sandwiched

Sandwiched is the past participle of the verb to sandwich, meaning to place something between two other objects or layers. As an adjective, it describes an item that is enclosed, pressed, or flanked by two sides. The core sense is literal—two boundaries enclosing a middle element—but it is also widely used figuratively to indicate containment or close juxtaposition.

Etymology: The noun sandwich derives from John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, an 18th-century British statesman associated with the practice of eating meat between bread. The verb to sandwich is a natural extension of the noun, and its past participle sandwiched has been in use since at least the 19th century.

Usage: In culinary contexts, the phrase “sandwiched between” commonly describes a filling enclosed by slices of bread. In non-culinary contexts, it can describe physical arrangements, such as “The brochure was sandwiched between two magazines,” or spatial positioning, “The car was sandwiched between two trucks.” It can also be used metaphorically, for example about people placed between competing demands.

Related terms: The related noun sandwich and the gerund sandwiching are common; the term sandwich generation refers to people who support both children and aging relatives. This conveys a concise, neutral overview of the term sandwiched and its typical uses.