Word of the Day

: November 27, 2009

inoculate

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verb ih-NAHK-yuh-layt

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What It Means

1 a : to introduce a microorganism into

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

2 : to introduce something into the mind of

3 : to protect as if by inoculation

inoculate in Context

In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner discovered that inoculating people with cowpox could provide immunity against smallpox.

Did You Know?

If you think you see a connection between "inoculate" and "ocular" ("of or relating to the eye"), you are not mistaken -- both words look back to "oculus," the Latin word for "eye." But what does the eye have to do with inoculation? Our answer lies in the original use in English of "inoculate" in Middle English: "to insert a bud in a plant." Latin "oculus" was sometimes applied to things that were seen to resemble eyes, and one such thing was the bud of a plant. "Inoculate" was later applied to other forms of engrafting or implanting, including the introduction of vaccines as a preventative against disease.