inoculate

UK: /ɪˈnɒkjuleɪt/ US: /ɪˈnɑkjəˌleɪt/ ,(i nok′yə lāt′)

Inflections of 'inoculate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

inoculates

v 3rd person singular

inoculating

v pres p

inoculated

v past

inoculated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

in•oc•u•late /ɪˈnɑkyəˌleɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 

1. Immunology to inject a vaccine, microorganism, etc., in order to protect against, treat, or study a disease:
   inoculated me against yellow fever.

in•oc•u•la•tion /ɪˌnɑkyəˈleɪʃən/  n. 

[countable] After three inoculations I was beginning to feel like a pin cushion.

[uncountable] Inoculation is not the best way to prevent this disease.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

in•oc•u•late  (i nok′yə lāt′), v., -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 
v.t. 

1. Immunology 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. Immunology to affect or treat (a person, animal, or plant) in this manner.
3. Laboratory to introduce (microorganisms) into surroundings suited to their growth, as a culture medium.
4. to imbue (a person), as with ideas.
5. Metallurgy to treat (molten metal) chemically to strengthen the microstructure.

v.i. 

6. to perform inoculation.

• Latin inoculātus past participle of inoculāre to graft by budding, implant, equivalent. to in- in-² + -oculā- (stem of -oculāre to graft, derivative of oculus eye, bud) + -tus past participle suffix
• 1400–50; late Middle English

in•oc•u•la•tive  (i nok′yə lā′tiv, -yə lə-), adj.  in•oc′u•la′tor, n. 
Synonyms

• 4. indoctrinate, infuse.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

inoculate / ɪˈnɒkjʊˌleɪt/ verb

1. to introduce (the causative agent of a disease) into the body of (a person or animal), in order to induce immunity
2. (transitive) to introduce (microorganisms, esp bacteria) into (a culture medium)
3. (transitive) to cause to be influenced or imbued, as with ideas or opinions

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin inoculāre to implant, from in-² + oculus eye, bud

inˌocuˈlation noun

inˈoculative adjective

inˈocuˌlator noun