inculcate
verb
ˈin-(ˌ)
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Sometimes before a lesson sinks in, you’ve got to go over it in your mind for a long time. The same is true for when you want to make a path: you have to walk over it again and again. The connection between walking and learning is at the heart of inculcate, which comes from a form of the Latin verb inculcare, meaning “to tread on.” In Latin, inculcare possesses both literal and figurative meanings, referring to either the act of walking over something or to that of impressing something upon the mind, often by way of steady repetition. It is the figurative sense that survives with inculcate, which was first used in English in the 16th century. Since then, the word has kept the meaning of impressing facts, ideas, or ideals on someone through repetition. If you have trouble remembering inculcate’s definition, you may find it helpful to know that it’s a synonym of the word instill (“to impart gradually”), which shares the Latin prefix in-.
Synonyms
Examples of inculcate in a Sentence
Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 27 Jan. 2024
His mother inculcated in him a reverence for American law enforcement.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inculcate 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inculcate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Latin inculcatus, past participle of inculcare, literally, to tread on, from in- + calcare to trample, from calc-, calx heel
1539, in the meaning defined above
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“Inculcate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inculcate. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
inculcate
verb
ˈin-(ˌ)kəl-
More from Merriam-Webster on inculcate
Nglish: Translation of inculcate for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of inculcate for Arabic Speakers
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