autoinoculable
|au-to-in-o-cu-la-ble|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔːtoʊɪˈnɑːkjʊləbəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːtəʊɪˈnɒkjʊləb(ə)l/
capable of self-inoculation
Etymology
'autoinoculable' originates from Greek and Latin elements: Greek 'autos' meaning 'self' and Latin 'inoculatus' (from 'inoculare') meaning 'grafted in', with the English suffix '-able' (from Old French/Latin) meaning 'capable of'.
'autoinoculable' developed via the medical noun 'autoinoculation' (formed from 'auto-' + 'inoculation') and then by adding the adjectival suffix '-able' in modern medical English to mean 'able to be autoinoculated'.
The root 'inocul-' originally referred to 'grafting' in horticulture; over time it broadened to mean introducing biological material (such as vaccine or pathogen) into an organism. 'Autoinoculable' now specifically denotes the capacity for self-inoculation.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
capable of being autoinoculated; able to be the source or target of autoinoculation (i.e., self-inoculation of infectious material).
The physician noted that the lesion appeared autoinoculable, and warned the patient about the risk of spreading the infection to other skin areas by touching it.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/26 06:10