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Inoculate vs Infect - What's the difference?

inoculate | infect |

As verbs the difference between inoculate and infect

is that inoculate is to introduce an antigenic substance or vaccine into the body, as to produce immunity to a specific disease while infect is to bring into contact with a substance that causes illness (a pathogen).

As an adjective infect is

infected.

inoculate

English

Alternative forms

* innoculate

Verb

  • (immunology) To introduce an antigenic substance or vaccine into the body, as to produce immunity to a specific disease.
  • *
  • (by extension) To safeguard or protect something as if by inoculation.
  • To add one substance to another; to spike.
  • The culture medium was inoculated with selenium to investigate the rate of uptake.
  • To graft by inserting buds.
  • to inoculate the bud of one tree or plant into another
    to inoculate a tree
  • *
  • (figurative) To introduce into the mind (used especially of harmful ideas or principles); to imbue.
  • to inoculate someone with treason or infidelity
  • *
  • See also

    * immunize / immunise * vaccinate

    infect

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To bring into contact with a substance that causes illness (a pathogen).
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= Katie L. Burke
  • , title= In the News , volume=101, issue=3, page=193, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola.}}
  • To make somebody enthusiastic about one's own passion.
  • Antonyms

    * disinfect

    Derived terms

    * infection * infectible

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (obsolete) Infected.
  • * 1602 , , I. iii. 187:
  • And in the imitation of these twain, / Who, as Ulysses says, opinion crowns / With an imperial voice, many are infect .
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