1. a substance containing microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) that is introduced into a culture medium or living organism
Usage: scientific; microbiology

Examples

• The researcher prepared a bacterial inoculum for the experiment.
• A small inoculum was added to the sterile broth.
• The size of the inoculum affects the growth rate of the culture.
• Scientists used a viral inoculum to study infection patterns.
• The inoculum contained millions of microorganisms per milliliter.
• Fresh inoculum was prepared daily for consistent results.