inoculate

[ih-nok-yuh-leyt] /ɪˈnɒk yəˌleɪt/
verb (used with object), inoculated, inoculating.
1.
to implant (a disease agent or antigen) in a person, animal, or plant to produce a disease for study or to stimulate disease resistance.
2.
to affect or treat (a person, animal, or plant) in this manner.
3.
to introduce (microorganisms) into surroundings suited to their growth, as a culture medium.
4.
to imbue (a person), as with ideas.
5.
Metallurgy. to treat (molten metal) chemically to strengthen the microstructure.
verb (used without object), inoculated, inoculating.
6.
to perform inoculation.
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English < Latin inoculātus past participle of inoculāre to graft by budding, implant, equivalent to in- in-2 + -oculā- (stem of -oculāre to graft, derivative of oculus eye, bud) + -tus past participle suffix
Related forms
inoculative
[ih-nok-yuh-ley-tiv, -yuh-luh-] /ɪˈnɒk yəˌleɪ tɪv, -yə lə-/ (Show IPA), adjective
inoculator, noun
noninoculative, adjective
reinoculate, verb, reinoculated, reinoculating.
self-inoculated, adjective
uninoculated, adjective
uninoculative, adjective
Synonyms
4. indoctrinate, infuse.
Examples from the web for inoculate
  • The idea is to inoculate them, and stockpile vaccine to protect the rest of the population.
  • The best way to inoculate against this particular virus is by teaching critical thought, logic and the scientific method.
  • It may take another day or so for computer users to download the update and inoculate themselves against the latest virus.
  • If conditions are ripe, and if no steps are regularly taken to inoculate us against this all too common.
  • Heavy regulation would not inoculate the world against future crises.
  • When a new piece of malware is found, security companies fall over themselves to clean our computers and inoculate our networks.
  • Some candidates inoculate themselves by making light of their weight problems.
  • The story's basis in fact doesn't inoculate it against charges of predictability.
  • And he doesn't wear earphones outdoors to inoculate himself against conversations with strangers.
  • But that cannot inoculate against respect, or a good laugh.
British Dictionary definitions for inoculate

inoculate

/ɪˈnɒkjʊˌleɪt/
verb
1.
to introduce (the causative agent of a disease) into the body of (a person or animal), in order to induce immunity
2.
(transitive) to introduce (microorganisms, esp bacteria) into (a culture medium)
3.
(transitive) to cause to be influenced or imbued, as with ideas or opinions
Derived Forms
inoculation, noun
inoculative, adjective
inoculator, noun
Word Origin
C15: from Latin inoculāre to implant, from in-² + oculus eye, bud
Word Origin and History for inoculate
v.

mid-15c., "implant a bud into a plant," from Latin inoculatus, past participle of inoculare "graft in, implant," from in- "in" (see in- (2)) + oculus "bud," originally "eye" (see eye (n.)). Meaning "implant germs of a disease to produce immunity" first recorded (in inoculation) 1714, originally in reference to smallpox. After 1799, often used in sense of "to vaccine inoculate." Related: Inoculated; inoculating.

inoculate in Medicine

inoculate in·oc·u·late (ĭ-nŏk'yə-lāt')
v. in·oc·u·lat·ed, in·oc·u·lat·ing, in·oc·u·lates

  1. To introduce 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. To implant microorganisms or infectious material into or on a culture medium.

  3. To communicate a disease to a living organism by transferring its causative agent into the organism.

in·oc'u·la'tive adj.
in·oc'u·la'tor n.
inoculate in Science
inoculation
  (ĭ-nŏk'yə-lā'shən)   

  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.


inoculate verb