impregnate

[ verb im-preg-neyt, im-preg-neyt; adjective im-preg-nit, -neyt ]
See synonyms for: impregnateimpregnatedimpregnation on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),im·preg·nat·ed, im·preg·nat·ing.
  1. to make pregnant; cause to be with child or young.

  1. to cause to be permeated or saturated with a substance: To relieve cold and flu symptoms, impregnate a handkerchief with oils of eucalyptus and mint and inhale its scent.

  2. to fill the interstices, openings, or cells of (a fine network, or the like) with a substance: The stainless steel housing contains a ceramic honeycomb impregnated with platinum, rhodium, and palladium.

  3. to infuse or imbue with some quality or element: Picasso’s later paintings are impregnated with a certain melancholy.The air was pleasantly impregnated with the odor of pines.

adjective

Origin of impregnate

1
First recorded in 1535–45; from Late Latin impraegnātus, past participle of impraegnāre “to fertilize, impregnate,” equivalent to im- im-1 + praegn-, stem of praegnās, variant of praegnāns (stem praegnant-) “pregnant, with child” + -ātus past participle suffix; see origin at pregnant1, -ate1

Other words for impregnate

Other words from impregnate

  • im·preg·na·tion [im-preg-ney-shuhn], /ˌɪm prɛgˈneɪ ʃən/, noun
  • im·preg·na·tor, noun
  • im·preg·na·to·ry [im-preg-nuh-tawr-ee], /ɪmˈprɛg nəˌtɔr i/, adjective
  • re·im·preg·nate, verb (used with object), re·im·preg·nat·ed, re·im·preg·nat·ing.
  • re·im·preg·na·tion, noun
  • self-im·preg·nat·ing, adjective
  • self-im·preg·na·tion, noun
  • self-im·preg·na·tor, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use impregnate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for impregnate

impregnate

verb(ˈɪmprɛɡˌneɪt) (tr)
  1. to saturate, soak, or infuse: to impregnate a cloth with detergent

  2. to imbue or permeate; pervade

  1. to cause to conceive; make pregnant

  2. to fertilize (an ovum)

  3. to make (land, soil, etc) fruitful

adjective(ɪmˈprɛɡnɪt, -ˌneɪt)
  1. pregnant or fertilized

Origin of impregnate

1
C17: from Late Latin impraegnāre to make pregnant, from Latin im- in- ² + praegnans pregnant

Derived forms of impregnate

  • impregnation, noun
  • impregnator, 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