impregnate

[ verb im-preg-neyt, im-preg-neyt; adjective im-preg-nit, -neyt ]

verb (used with object)

, im·preg·nat·ed, im·preg·nat·ing.

1. to make pregnant; cause to be with child or young.
2. to fertilize.
3. to cause to be permeated or saturated with a substance:

   To relieve cold and flu symptoms, impregnate a handkerchief with oils of eucalyptus and mint and inhale its scent.

   Synonyms: penetrate, infuse, permeate

4. to fill the interstices, openings, or cells of (a fine network, or the like) with a substance:

   The stainless steel housing contains a ceramic honeycomb impregnated with platinum, rhodium, and palladium.

5. to infuse or imbue with some quality or element:

   Picasso’s later paintings are impregnated with a certain melancholy.

   The air was pleasantly impregnated with the odor of pines.

adjective

1. impregnated ( def ).

impregnate

verb

1. to saturate, soak, or infuse

   to impregnate a cloth with detergent

2. to imbue or permeate; pervade
3. to cause to conceive; make pregnant
4. to fertilize (an ovum)
5. to make (land, soil, etc) fruitful

adjective

1. pregnant or fertilized

Derived Forms

• ˌimpregˈnation, noun
• imˈpregnator, noun

Other Words From

• im·preg·na·tion [im-preg-, ney, -sh, uh, n], noun
• im·preg·na·tor noun
• im·preg·na·to·ry [im-, preg, -n, uh, -tawr-ee], adjective
• re·im·preg·nate verb (used with object) reimpregnated reimpregnating
• re·im·preg·na·tion noun
• self-im·preg·nat·ing adjective
• self-im·preg·na·tion noun
• self-im·preg·na·tor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of impregnate¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from Late Latin impraegnātus, past participle of impraegnāre “to fertilize, impregnate,” equivalent to im- im- ¹( def ) + praegn-, stem of praegnās, variant of praegnāns (stem praegnant-) “pregnant, with child” + -ātus past participle suffix; pregnant ¹( def ), -ate ¹( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of impregnate¹

C17: from Late Latin impraegnāre to make pregnant, from Latin im- in- ² + praegnans pregnant

Example Sentences

Kathleen: One of the things I find so fascinating about this story is the women taking a thing that’s always been mediated through culture, through law, through society — which is who can impregnate them — and taking matters into their own hands.

From Salon

The single animal produced from the experiments was then used to impregnate other animals in what could only have been a “let’s see what happens” approach in making designer prey that would have surely, had the wildlife traffickers not been caught, been continued to be refined and bred for large caliber guns.

From Slate

When the cow reached maturity, the team unsuccessfully attempted to impregnate her using standard artificial insemination techniques.

From Science Daily

The caller - Mangesh calls him Sandeep sir - told him that he would be working for a company in Mumbai and that once he had signed up, he would be sent details of the woman he would have to impregnate.

From BBC

The scammers kept him interested by sending him photos of "seven-eight women", asking him to choose the one he would like to impregnate.

From BBC

Related Words

• drench
• fertilize
• inseminate
• permeate
• saturate
• suffuse