impregnate

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

See more synonyms for impregnate on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), im·preg·nat·ed, im·preg·nat·ing.

to make pregnant; get with child or young.
to fertilize.
to cause to be infused or permeated throughout, as with a substance; saturate: to impregnate a handkerchief with cheap perfume.

to fill interstices with a substance.
to furnish with some actuating or modifying element infused or introduced; imbue, infect; tincture.

adjective

impregnated.

Origin of impregnate

1535–45; < Late Latin impraegnātus past participle of impraegnāre to fertilize, impregnate, equivalent to im- im-¹ + praegn- (see pregnant¹) + -ātus -ate¹

Related formsim·preg·na·tion, nounim·preg·na·tor, nounim·preg·na·to·ry

[im-preg-nuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] /ɪmˈprɛg nəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjectivenon·im·preg·nat·ed, adjectivere·im·preg·nate, verb (used with object), re·im·preg·nat·ed, re·im·preg·nat·ing.re·im·preg·na·tion, nounself-im·preg·nat·ed, adjectiveself-im·preg·nat·ing, adjectiveself-im·preg·na·tion, nounself-im·preg·na·tor, nounun·im·preg·nat·ed, adjective

Synonyms for impregnate

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3. permeate, infuse, penetrate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for impregnated

saturated, permeated, bred

Examples from the Web for impregnated

Contemporary Examples of impregnated

Question 9: If the female captive was impregnated by her owner, can he then sell her?
ISIS Jihadis Get ‘Slavery for Dummies’
Jamie Dettmer
December 9, 2014
Despite the fact that they have been monkeying around for six months now, no female baboons have been impregnated.
Male Birth Control, Without Condoms, Will Be Here by 2017
Samantha Allen
September 9, 2014
On Tuesday night, the Thai military raided the IVF clinic where Chanbua was impregnated with Gammy and his twin.
The Wild, Wild West of Thai Surrogacy
Emily Shire
August 7, 2014
At age 17, Schaeffer impregnated a young woman visiting the community.
Frank Schaeffer, the Atheist Who Believes in God
Nick Tabor
August 3, 2014
The mystery of Mary visited by the Angel Gabriel, and told that she would be impregnated by none other than the Spirit of God.
The True Gifts of Christmas Are Life, Love, and the Mystery of God
Joshua DuBois
December 25, 2013

Historical Examples of impregnated

Impregnated by power divine, the soil was prolific in other fruits than these.
Imogen
William Godwin
"And that I have—" The sugar was now impregnated with coffee, and he bent forward to swallow it.
Where Angels Fear to Tread
E. M. Forster
His own estimate of his plight was impregnated with despair.
England and Germany
Emile Joseph Dillon
The odor of stables was impregnated with the scent of winter flowers and sachets.
Sacrifice
Stephen French Whitman
This is principally due to the saltpetre with which it is impregnated.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce
E. R. Billings.

British Dictionary definitions for impregnated

impregnate

verb (ˈɪmprɛɡˌneɪt) (tr)

to saturate, soak, or infuseto impregnate a cloth with detergent
to imbue or permeate; pervade
to cause to conceive; make pregnant
to fertilize (an ovum)
to make (land, soil, etc) fruitful

adjective (ɪmˈprɛɡnɪt, -ˌneɪt)

pregnant or fertilized

Derived Formsimpregnation, nounimpregnator, noun

Word Origin for impregnate

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for impregnated

impregnate

c.1600, from Late Latin impraegnatus "pregnant," past participle of impraegnare "to render pregnant," from assimilated form of in- "into, in" (see in- (2)) + praegnare "make pregnant" (see pregnant). Earlier in same sense was impregn (1530s).

impregnated in Medicine

impregnate

[ĭm-prĕg′nāt]

To make pregnant; to cause to conceive; inseminate.
To fertilize an ovum.
To fill throughout; saturate.

Related formsim′preg•na′tion n.im•preg′na′tor n.