GC: n

S: WHO – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11614328 (last access: 4 June 2015); DORLAND.

N: 1. mid-15c. in horticulture; 1714 in pathology, from Latin inoculationem (nominative inoculatio) “an engrafting, budding,” noun of action from past participle stem of inoculare (see inoculate).
2. Process of producing immunity and method of vaccination that consists of introduction of the infectious agent onto an abraded or absorptive skin surface instead of inserting the substance in the tissues by means of a hollow needle, as in injection.
3. Of the common vaccines, only smallpox vaccine is routinely inoculated. The term inoculation is also commonly used more broadly to mean any introduction of antigenic substances into the tissues.
4. The introduction of a disease agent, e.g. vaccine virus, into a healty individual to produce a mild Form of the disease Followed by immunity.

S: 1. OED – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=inoculation&searchmode=none (last access: 4 September 2014). 2 & 3. EncBrit – http://global.britannica.com/science/inoculation (last access: 4 June 2015). 4. GDT – http://www.granddictionnaire.com/ficheOqlf.aspx?Id_Fiche=17054210 (last access: 4 June 2015).

SYN:
S:

CR: inoculum, vaccination.