immunization
UK: ˌɪm.juː.naɪˈzeɪ.ʃən | US: ˌɪm.jə.nəˈzeɪ.ʃən
n. the process of making a person or animal immune to a disease, typically by vaccination.
n. the state of being protected against a disease through vaccination or natural resistance.
immunization = immune<protected> + ization<process of making>
- immune: From Latin immunis ("exempt from public service, free from duty"), combining in- ("not") + munis ("service, duty"). Later adopted in medical context to mean "resistant to infection."
- ization: A suffix derived from Greek -izein (verb-forming suffix) + Latin -atio (noun-forming suffix), indicating "the process of making or becoming."
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin immunis, originally describing legal or social exemption (e.g., tax-free status). By the 19th century, "immune" shifted to biological contexts, reflecting the body’s exemption from disease. The suffix -ization systematized the term into a medical procedure, emphasizing the active process of conferring immunity (e.g., through vaccines).
Routine immunization has eradicated diseases like smallpox.
The pediatrician scheduled the baby’s immunization for next week.
Herd immunity relies on widespread immunization within a population.
Travelers to certain regions may require additional immunizations.
Public health campaigns promote immunization to prevent outbreaks.