inoculation Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun taking a vaccine as a precaution against contracting a disease
    vaccination.

WordNet

In*oc"u*la"tion noun
Etymology
L. inoculatio: cf. F. inoculation.
Definitions
  1. The act or art of inoculating trees or plants.
  2. (Med.) The act or practice of communicating a disease to a person in health, by inserting contagious matter in his skin or flesh. ✍ The use was formerly limited to the intentional communication of the smallpox, but is now extended to include any similar introduction of modified virus; as, the inoculation of rabies by Pasteur.
  3. Fig.: The communication of principles, especially false principles, to the mind.

Webster 1913