i ‧ noc ‧ u ‧ late /ɪˈnɒkjəleɪt, ɪˈnɒkjʊleɪt $ ɪˈnɑː-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of inoculare 'to attach a bud to a plant' , from oculus 'eye, bud' ]
to protect someone against a disease by putting a weak form of the disease into their body using a needle ⇨ immunize , vaccinate
inoculate somebody against something
All the children had been inoculated against hepatitis.
—inoculation /ɪˌnɒkjəˈleɪʃ ə n, ɪˌnɒkjʊˈleɪʃ ə n $ -ˌnɑːk-/ noun [uncountable and countable]