immunization
immunization Lexical Profile
immunization Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The action or process of making a person or animal resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine.
"Widespread childhood immunization has dramatically reduced the incidence of measles and polio worldwide."
In finance, an investment strategy that matches the duration of assets and liabilities to protect a portfolio's net worth against fluctuations in interest rates.
"The pension fund manager used portfolio immunization to ensure that future payouts would not be jeopardized by falling interest rates."
Word Nuance & Usage
While often used interchangeably in everyday speech, 'vaccination' refers specifically to the physical administration of a vaccine, whereas 'immunization' refers to the physiological process of becoming resistant to a disease after the vaccine takes effect.
• Rhymes for immunization
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the late 19th century from the verb 'immunize', which traces back to the Latin word 'immunis' ('exempt from public service or taxation'), combining 'in-' ('not') and 'munis' ('performing services').