inoculate: Meaning and Definition of
in•oc•u•late
Pronunciation: (i-nok'yu-lāt"), [key]
— v., -lat•ed, -lat•ing.
—v.t.
- to implant (a disease agent or antigen) in a person, animal, or plant to produce a disease for study or to stimulate disease resistance.
- to affect or treat (a person, animal, or plant) in this manner.
- to introduce (microorganisms) into surroundings suited to their growth, as a culture medium.
- to imbue (a person), as with ideas.
- to treat (molten metal) chemically to strengthen the microstructure.
—v.i.
- to perform inoculation.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.