v.
Pronunciation: i- ' nä-ky ə - ˌ l ā t
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form: -lat · ed ; -lat · ing
Etymology: Middle English, to insert a bud in a plant, from Latin inoculatus, past participle of inoculare, from in- + oculus eye, bud ― more at EYE
Date: 1721
1 a : to introduce a microorganism into < inoculate mice with anthrax> <beans inoculated with nitrogen-fixing bacteria> b : to introduce (as a microorganism) into a suitable situation for growth c : to introduce immunologically active material (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
synonyms see INFUSE
– in · oc · u · la · tive \ - ˌ l ā -tiv \ adjective
– in · oc · u · la · tor \ - ˌ l ā -t ə r \ noun