— inoculative /i nok"yeuh lay'tiv, -yeuh leuh-/ , adj. — inoculator , n.
/i nok"yeuh layt'/ , v. , inoculated, inoculating .
v.t.
1. to implant (a disease agent or antigen) in a person, animal, or plant to produce a disease for study or to stimulate disease resistance.
2. to affect or treat (a person, animal, or plant) in this manner.
3. to introduce (microorganisms) into surroundings suited to their growth, as a culture medium.
4. to imbue (a person), as with ideas.
5. Metall. to treat (molten metal) chemically to strengthen the microstructure.
v.i.
6. to perform inoculation.
[ 1400-50; late ME inoculatus ptp. of inoculare to graft by budding, implant, equiv. to in- IN- 2 + -ocula- (s. of -oculare to graft, deriv. of oculus eye, bud) + -tus ptp. suffix ]
Syn. 4. indoctrinate, infuse.