Inculcate derives from the past participle 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. Inculcare was formed in Latin by combining the prefix in- with calcare, meaning "to trample," and ultimately derives from the noun calx, "heel."
implant implies teaching that makes for permanence of what is taught.
implanted a love of reading in her students
inculcate implies persistent or repeated efforts to impress on the mind.
tried to inculcate in him high moral standards
instill stresses gradual, gentle imparting of knowledge over a long period of time.
instill traditional values in your children
inseminate applies to a sowing of ideas in many minds so that they spread through a class or nation.
inseminated an unquestioning faith in technology
infix stresses firmly inculcating a habit of thought.
infixed a chronic cynicism
Example Sentences
The teacher inculcated in her students the importance of good study habits. dedicated teachers inculcating young minds with a love of learning
Recent Examples on the WebOrganizations need to lean into actively recruiting women into the cloud to be able to build a strong workforce and inculcate growth. Geetika Tandon, Forbes, 7 June 2022 The measure will help inculcate a sense of awareness among the higher income groups to utilise the appropriate amount of water and also bring in the knowledge that over-usage will invite additional charges. Niyati Seth, Quartz, 8 June 2022 Stanford believed that, in addition to providing vocational training, the university should inculcate the values of faith, thrift, and abstinence of various kinds. Maia Silber, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022 To lay a strong data foundation, the first step is to inculcate a strong data culture and align business requirements with data initiatives. Lokesh Anand, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2022 Adopting low-code/no-code marketing tools can help you to reduce marketing costs, inculcate agility in marketing operations and improve turnaround times on campaigns. Nanditha Vijayaraghavan, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2021 As a corollary, introducing financial literacy, and mentorship programs to underprivileged communities also serves to inculcate, inspire, and promote more economic prosperity and awareness. Earl Carr, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2021 Our Burke to Buckley seminars in six cities inculcate first principles in a new generation of young professionals and the NRI Regional Seminars promote conservative ideas to audiences across America. Peter J. Travers, National Review, 7 Dec. 2021 Taking responsibility for our health requires us to inculcate a growth mindset. Rittu Sinha, Forbes, 10 Nov. 2021 See More
Word History
Etymology
Latin inculcatus, past participle of inculcare, literally, to tread on, from in- + calcare to trample, from calc-, calx heel