The Hebrew noun ephudah (H642) refers to an encasement, setting, or attachment — specifically the mounting or setting of a gemstone in a ring or piece of jewelry. It appears in Exodus 28:8 in the context of the ephod's construction, describing how the gemstones were fitted.
In the tabernacle instructions, precision and craftsmanship were theological statements. The careful setting of each stone on the high priest's garments — each bearing a tribe's name — demonstrated that God's covenant people were held close, set securely, and remembered always before God. This speaks to the security of the believer held in Christ.