inoculate
|in-oc-u-late|
🇺🇸
/ɪˈnɑːkjəleɪt/
🇬🇧
/ɪˈnɒkjʊleɪt/
insert to produce protection/introduction
Etymology
'inoculate' originates from Latin, specifically the verb 'inoculāre,' where the prefix 'in-' meant 'into' and 'oculāre' related to 'oculus' meaning 'eye' (referring to a bud or eye used in grafting).
'inoculāre' (Latin) passed into Late Latin and Medieval Latin, was used in horticultural contexts meaning 'to graft (a bud)' and then entered English in the 17th century as 'inoculate', later being extended in meaning to medical and microbiological uses.
Initially, it meant 'to graft or insert a bud (an "eye") into a plant'; over time it evolved to mean 'to introduce (a substance or organism) into a living body or culture' and specifically 'to give immunity' by vaccination.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an inoculation or the substance (such as a vaccine or culture material) used in inoculating; also the act of inoculating.
They used an inoculate to start the culture.
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Verb 1
to introduce a vaccine, antigen, or other biological agent into a person or animal to produce immunity to a disease.
Doctors inoculate children against measles.
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Verb 2
to introduce microorganisms, cells, or biological material into a culture medium or environment for growth or study (to seed a culture).
Researchers inoculate the agar plates with bacteria.
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Verb 3
figuratively, to protect someone against undesirable influence, opinion, or misinformation by pre-exposure or instruction.
Parents try to inoculate their children against harmful ideologies.
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Last updated: 2025/12/23 00:50