inoculate

verb

in·oc·u·late | \ i-ˈnä-kyə-ˌlāt

inoculated; inoculating

Definition of inoculate

1a : to introduce a microorganism into inoculate mice with anthrax beans inoculated with nitrogen-fixing bacteria

b : to introduce (something, such as a microorganism) into a suitable situation for growth

c : to introduce immunologically active material (such as an antibody or antigen) into especially in order to treat or prevent a disease inoculate children against diphtheria

2 : to introduce something into the mind of

3 : to protect as if by inoculation

Other Words from inoculate Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about inoculate

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Other Words from inoculate

inoculative \ i-ˈnä-kyə-ˌlā-tiv

\ adjective

inoculator \ i-ˈnä-kyə-ˌlā-tər

\ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for inoculate

infuse, suffuse, imbue, ingrain, inoculate, leaven mean to introduce one thing into another so as to affect it throughout. infuse implies a pouring in of something that gives new life or significance. new members infused enthusiasm into the club suffuse implies a spreading through of something that gives an unusual color or quality. a room suffused with light imbue implies the introduction of a quality that fills and permeates the whole being. imbue students with intellectual curiosity ingrain, used only in the passive or past participle, suggests the deep implanting of a quality or trait. clung to ingrained habits inoculate implies an imbuing or implanting with a germinal idea and often suggests stealth or subtlety. an electorate inoculated with dangerous ideas leaven implies introducing something that enlivens, tempers, or markedly alters the total quality. a serious play leavened with comic moments

Did You Know?

If you think you see a connection between "inoculate" and "ocular" ("of or relating to the eye"), you are not mistaken - both words look back to "oculus," the Latin word for "eye." But what does the eye have to do with inoculation? Our answer lies in the original use in English of "inoculate" in Middle English: "to insert a bud in a plant." Latin oculus was sometimes applied to things that were seen to resemble eyes, and one such thing was the bud of a plant. "Inoculate" was later applied to other forms of engrafting or implanting, including the introduction of vaccines as a preventative against disease.

Examples of inoculate in a Sentence

inoculated them with the idea that the individual can always make a difference in this world

Recent Examples on the Web

In an office the size of an airport lounge, the floor-to-ceiling windows lined with toy trucks, Mr. Ak exuded the satisfaction of someone seemingly inoculated against the chaos around him. — New York Times, "Turkey’s Economy Is So Hot That It May Face a Meltdown," 10 July 2018 The ability of independent fact-finders to inoculate against the adaptation of disinformation will determine much about the integrity of the historical record — and our collective ability to hold power to account. — Scott Edwards, Washington Post, "Fake news is about to get a lot worse. That will make it easier to violate human rights — and get away with it.," 3 Apr. 2018 But not even her gold medals have inoculated her against the stigmas attached to her next challenge: motherhood as a disabled woman. — Gianluca Russo, Glamour, "Paralympian Alana Nichols Is Facing Her Biggest Challenge Yet: Motherhood as a Disabled Woman," 24 Mar. 2019 With funding from the National Institutes of Health, the investigators plan to inoculate participants with potential vaccines and then to inject them with small doses of the Zika virus to test the vaccines’ effectiveness. — Emily Baumgaertner, New York Times, "Ethicists Call for More Scrutiny of ‘Human-Challenge’ Trials," 20 Apr. 2018 The global economic expansion has occasioned hopeful talk that the world now has multiple engines of growth, inoculating it against trouble in any single region. — Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, "The Era of Easy Money Is Ending, and the World Is Bracing for Shocks," 6 Feb. 2018 In the days leading up to the elections, Trump emphasized that history was against him because most presidents see their party lose seats in midterm elections, in effect trying to inoculate himself against any backlash that might come with a defeat. — Peter Baker, The Seattle Times, "A partisan war awaits Trump. That just might suit him.," 6 Nov. 2018 The firm also sold 252,600 doses of ineffective DPT vaccines to inoculate children against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus. — Fox News, "China says vaccine maker Changsheng broke manufacturing rules, faked records: Xinhua," 27 July 2018 For many others, though, Ms. McGrath’s military service will be appealing and could help to inoculate her on a number of issues. — Michael Tackett, New York Times, "In Conservative Kentucky, Power of Female Candidates Is Tested in Key House Race," 16 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inoculate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

20 May 2019

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The first known use of inoculate was in 1721

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More Definitions for inoculate

inoculate

verb

English Language Learners Definition of inoculate

medical : to give (a person or animal) a weakened form of a disease in order to prevent infection by the disease

See the full definition for inoculate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

inoculate

verb

in·oc·u·late | \ i-ˈnä-kyə-ˌlāt

inoculated; inoculating

Kids Definition of inoculate

: to inject a material (as a vaccine) into to protect against or treat a disease

inoculate

verb

in·oc·u·late | \ in-ˈäk-yə-ˌlāt

inoculated; inoculating

Medical Definition of inoculate

transitive verb

1 : to communicate a disease to (an organism) by inserting its causative agent into the body 12 mice inoculated with anthrax

2a : to introduce microorganisms or viruses onto or into (an organism, substrate, or culture medium) inoculated a rat with bacteria

b : to introduce (as a microorganism or antiserum) into an organism or onto a culture medium inoculate a pure culture of bacteria into a healthy host

3 : to introduce immunologically active material (as an antibody or antigen) into especially in order to treat or prevent a disease inoculate children against diphtheria

intransitive verb

: to introduce microorganisms, vaccines, or sera by inoculation