inoculation

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UK/ɪˌnɒkjʊˈleɪʃən/US/ɪˌnɑkjəˈleɪʃən/

noun

The introduction of an antigenic substance or vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease.

Less commonScrabble 13

Meanings

nouninoculation (countable and uncountable, plural inoculations)

plural inoculations

  1. countableuncountableimmunologyThe introduction of an antigenic substance or vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease.

    We owe, also, to Lady Mary the introduction of inoculation—the moral courage she displayed; the blessing conferred by her exertions may well silence the harsh judgment which suits so little with our narrow and finite intelligence.

    1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The End”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 326
  2. countableuncountablebiologyThe introduction of a microorganism into a culture medium.
  3. countableuncountableThe insertion of the buds of one plant into another; grafting.
  4. countableuncountableAn inoculum; that which is inoculated.
  5. countableuncountableSynonym of prebunking.

    Synonyms: prebunking

  6. broadlycountableuncountableAny technique to reduce harm by exposing oneself to a milder form of that harm.

    Practitioners might similarly employ stress inoculation strategies wherein clients visualize binegative situations—such as being subtly invalidated […]

    2019, John E. Pachankis, Steven A. Safren, Handbook of Evidence-Based Mental Health Practice with Sexual and Gender Minorities, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 157

Synonyms & antonyms

nounSynonym of prebunking.

Similar

More synonyms by meaning

nountaking a vaccine as a precaution against contracting a disease

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latininoculātio
  2. Englishinoculation

From Latin inoculātio. Equivalent to inoculate + -ion.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic تَلْقِيح, تَلْقِيح
  • تَلْقِيح (talqīḥ)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • تَلْقِيح (talqīḥ)introduction of microorganisms into culture medium
Bulgarian ваксина́ция, инокула́ция
  • ваксина́ция (vaksinácija)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • инокула́ция (inokulácija)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Catalan inoculació
  • inoculacióintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Chinese Mandarin 接種 /接种
  • 接種 /接种 (jiēzhǒng)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Czech očkování, vakcinace
  • očkováníintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • vakcinaceintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Dutch inenting, inoculatie
  • inentingintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • inoculatieintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Finnish rokottaminen
  • rokottaminenintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
French inoculation
  • inoculationintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
German Impfung
  • Impfungintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Hindi टीकाकरण
  • टीकाकरण (ṭīkākaraṇ)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Indonesian inokulasi, inokulasi
  • inokulasiintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • inokulasiintroduction of microorganisms into culture medium
Japanese 接種
  • 接種 (sesshu)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Korean 접종
  • 접종 (jeopjong)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Malay inokulasi
  • inokulasiintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Persian مایهکوبی, مایه کوبی
  • مایهکوبی (mâye-kubi)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • مایه کوبی (mâye kubi)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • تلقیح (talqih)introduction of microorganisms into culture medium
Polish szczepienie
  • szczepienieintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Russian приви́вка, вакцина́ция
  • приви́вка (privívka)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • вакцина́ция (vakcinácija)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • инокуля́ция (inokuljácija)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Slovak očkovanie, vakcinácia
  • očkovanieintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • vakcináciaintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • naočkovanieintroduction of microorganisms into culture medium
Spanish vacunación
  • vacunaciónintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Swahili chanjo
  • chanjointroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Swedish ympning, inokulation
  • ympningintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • inokulationintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Ukrainian ще́плення, вакцина́ція
  • ще́плення (ščéplennja)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • вакцина́ція (vakcynácija)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
  • інокуля́ція (inokuljácija)introduction of substance into the body to produce immunity
Vietnamese chủng ngừa
  • chủng ngừaintroduction of substance into the body to produce immunity

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with inoculation

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

inoculation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inoculation

MLA

“inoculation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inoculation. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inoculation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inoculation.

Source: inoculation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.