variolate

[ vair-ee-uh-leyt, -lit ]

adjective

, Pathology.

1. resembling smallpox, as a lesion.

variolate

/ ˈvɛərɪəˌleɪt /

verb

1. tr to inoculate with the smallpox virus

adjective

1. marked or pitted with or as if with the scars of smallpox

Derived Forms

• ˌvarioˈlation, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of variolate¹

First recorded in 1785–95; variol(a) + -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of variolate¹

C18: from variola

Example Sentences

“So if you can drive up rates of asymptomatic infection with masks, maybe that becomes a way to variolate the population.”

From Seattle Times

We can scarcely suppose that he did anything else than variolate these persons, just as he would have done had he used variolous lymph without the addition of milk.

From Project Gutenberg

Variolate -ose: with large, rounded impressions like pock-marks.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• immunize
• inject
• inoculate
• protect
• treat