inoculation

[ ih-nok-yuh-ley-shuhn ]
See synonyms for inoculation on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the act or process of inoculating.

  2. an instance of inoculating.

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Origin of inoculation

1
1400–50; late Middle English <Latin inoculātiōn- (stem of inoculātiō) an engrafting. See inoculate, -ion

Other words from inoculation

  • non·in·oc·u·la·tion, noun
  • post·in·oc·u·la·tion, adjective
  • re·in·oc·u·la·tion, noun
  • self-in·oc·u·la·tion, noun

Words Nearby inoculation

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

How to use inoculation in a sentence

Scientific definitions for inoculation

inoculation

[ ĭ-nŏk′yə-lāshən ]


  1. The introduction of a serum, a vaccine, or an antigenic substance into the body of a person or an animal, especially as a means to produce or boost immunity to a specific disease.

  2. The introduction of a microorganism or an agent of disease into an host organism or a growth medium.

Other words from inoculation

  • inoculate verb

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for inoculation

inoculation

[ (i-nok-yuh-lay-shuhn) ]


The introduction of an antigen into the body, usually by injection, in order to stimulate the production of antibodies to produce immunity to an infectious disease. (See immunization.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.