inoculate
to implant (a disease agent or antigen) in a person, animal, or plant to produce a disease for study or to stimulate disease resistance.
to affect or treat (a person, animal, or plant) in this manner.
to introduce (microorganisms) into surroundings suited to their growth, as a culture medium.
to imbue (a person), as with ideas.
Metallurgy. to treat (molten metal) chemically to strengthen the microstructure.
Origin of inoculate
1Other words for inoculate
Other words from inoculate
- in·oc·u·la·tive [ih-nok-yuh-ley-tiv, -yuh-luh-], /ɪˈnɒk yəˌleɪ tɪv, -yə lə-/, adjective
- in·oc·u·la·tor, noun
- non·in·oc·u·la·tive, adjective
- re·in·oc·u·late, verb, re·in·oc·u·lat·ed, re·in·oc·u·lat·ing.
- self-in·oc·u·lat·ed, adjective
- un·in·oc·u·lat·ed, adjective
- un·in·oc·u·la·tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for inoculate
/ (ɪˈnɒkjʊˌleɪt) /
to introduce (the causative agent of a disease) into the body of (a person or animal), in order to induce immunity
(tr) to introduce (microorganisms, esp bacteria) into (a culture medium)
(tr) to cause to be influenced or imbued, as with ideas or opinions
Origin of inoculate
1Derived forms of inoculate
- inoculation, noun
- inoculative, adjective
- inoculator, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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