- inoculate
- 1. To introduce the agent of a disease or other antigenic material into the subcutaneous tissue or a blood vessel, or through an abraded or absorbing surface for preventive, curative, or experimental purposes. 2. To implant microorganisms or infectious material into or upon culture media. 3. To communicate a disease by transferring its virus. [L. inoculo, pp. -atus, to ingraft]
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1) to communicate a disease to (an organism) by inserting its causative agent into the body <12 mice inoculated with anthrax>2 a) to introduce microorganisms or viruses onto or into (an organism, substrate, or culture medium) <inoculated a rat with bacteria>b) to introduce (as a microorganism or antiserum) into an organism or onto a culture medium <\inoculate a pure culture of bacteria into a healthy host>3) to introduce immunologically active material (as an antibody or antigen) into esp. in order to treat or prevent a disease <\inoculate children against diphtheria> vi to introduce microorganisms, vaccines, or sera by inoculation* * *
in·oc·u·late (ĭ-nokґu-lāt) [L. inoculare] 1. to implant microbes or other infective materials in or on culture media. 2. to introduce immune serum, vaccines of various kinds, or some other antigenic material into a healthy individual to produce a mild form of the disease followed by immunity. 3. to spread a disease by inserting its etiologic agent.
Medical dictionary. 2011.
