immunity
ih-MYOO-nih-tee
/ɪˈmjuːnəti/
The ability of an organism to resist a particular infection or toxin through specific antibodies or cellular defenses; also, legal exemption from penalty.
Broad concept covering state of protection, biological resistance, or legal exemption.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'immunitas', stemming from 'in-' (not) + 'munis' (duty or tax). Originally applied in Roman law to citizens exempt from military service or civic taxes, late 19th-century doctors borrowed the term for individuals who escaped disease during plagues.
Word relationships
- resistance: Resistance can refer broadly to physical endurance or microbial drug resistance, whereas immunity emphasizes biological recognition or legal protection.
- exemption: Exemption applies primarily to duties, taxes, or legal rules rather than physical biological defense.
- susceptibility: Susceptibility means state of vulnerability to disease or influence, opposite of immunity.
Commonly confused with
- immunization: Immunization is the process or act of making someone immune (e.g., giving a vaccine), while immunity is the resulting protective state.
Word family
- immune (adjective): Protected against infection or exempt from obligation
- immunize (verb): To make immune by vaccination
Collocations
- herd immunity
- adaptive immunity
- innate immunity
- sovereign immunity
Idioms & expressions
- diplomatic immunity
Example sentences
- "Achieving widespread population immunity through vaccination prevents outbreaks among vulnerable groups." Public health context
- "The key witness was granted legal immunity in exchange for truthful testimony during the trial." Legal news citation
Memory hook
IMMUNITY means IMMUNE from duties or disease. State of complete protection
When not to use
Do not confuse biological immunity with complete invulnerability to non-biological physical physical injury.
Fun facts
- Innate immunity acts in minutes, while adaptive immunity takes days to build targeted memory cells.
- Diplomatic immunity dates back thousands of years to allow messengers safe passage between warring nations.
Related words
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