Inoculate

Origin

From Middle English inoculate, from Latin inoculātus, perfect passive participle of inoculō ("ingraft an eye or bud of one plant into (another), implant"), from in ("in") + oculus ("an eye").

Full definition of inoculate

Verb

1. (transitive, immunology) To introduce an antigenic substance or vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease.
2. (transitive, by extension) To safeguard or protect something as if by inoculation.
3. To add one substance to another; to spike.The culture medium was inoculated with selenium to investigate the rate of uptake.
4. To graft by inserting buds.to inoculate the bud of one tree or plant into anotherto inoculate a tree
5. (figurative) To introduce into the mind (used especially of harmful ideas or principles); to imbue.to inoculate someone with treason or infidelity

Related terms

• inoculant
• inoculation
• inoculative
• inoculator
• inoculum