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impregnate

 - 5 dictionary results

im⋅preg⋅nate

  [v. im-preg-neyt, im-preg-neyt; adj. im-preg-nit, -neyt] verb, -nat⋅ed, -nat⋅ing, adjective
Use impregnate in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to make pregnant; get with child or young.
2. to fertilize.
3. to cause to be infused or permeated throughout, as with a substance; saturate: to impregnate a handkerchief with cheap perfume.
4. to fill interstices with a substance.
5. to furnish with some actuating or modifying element infused or introduced; imbue, infect; tincture.
–adjective
6. impregnated.
Origin:
1535–45; < LL impraegnātus ptp. of impraegnāre to fertilize, impregnate, equiv. to im- im- 1 + praegn- (see pregnant ) + -ātus -ate 1

Related forms:
im⋅preg⋅na⋅tion, noun
im⋅preg⋅na⋅tor, noun
im⋅preg⋅na⋅to⋅ry  [im-preg-nuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] , adjective

Synonyms:
3. permeate, infuse, penetrate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To impregnate
im·preg·nate   (ĭm-prěg'nāt)   
tr.v.   im·preg·nat·ed, im·preg·nat·ing, im·preg·nates

  1. To make pregnant; inseminate.

  2. To fertilize (an ovum, for example).

  3. To fill throughout; saturate: a cotton wad that was impregnated with ether.

  4. To permeate or imbue: impregnate a speech with optimism. See Synonyms at charge.

adj.   also (-nĭt)
Saturated or filled.

[Probably from Late Latin impraegnātus, pregnant : Latin in-, in; see in-2 + Latin praegnātus, variant of praegnās, pregnant; see pregnant1.]
im'preg·na'tion n., im·preg'na'tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

impregnate  (v.)
1605, from L.L. imprægnatus "pregnant," pp. of imprægnare "to render pregnant," from in- "in" + prægnare "make pregnant" (see pregnant).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: im·preg·nate
Pronunciation: im-'preg-"nAt, 'im-"
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: -nat·ed;-nat·ing
1 a : to make pregnant b : to introduce sperm cells into : FERTILIZE
2 : to cause to be filled, imbued, permeated, or saturated impregnated with medicament> —im·preg·na·tion /(")im-"preg-'nA-sh&n/ noun
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

impregnate im·preg·nate (ĭm-prěg'nāt)
v. im·preg·nat·ed, im·preg·nat·ing, im·preg·nates

  1. To make pregnant; to cause to conceive; inseminate.

  2. To fertilize an ovum.

  3. To fill throughout; saturate.

im'preg·na'tion n.
im·preg'na'tor n.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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