vaccination
vaccination Lexical Profile
vaccination Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The medical administration of a vaccine to stimulate an individual's immune system and develop adaptive immunity against a specific infectious pathogen.
"Widespread childhood vaccination has dramatically reduced the global incidence of measles and polio."
A single dose or injection of a vaccine, or the small scar left on the skin following certain inoculations (such as against smallpox).
"The veterinarian updated the puppy's medical chart after administering its final booster vaccination."
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 subsequent biological process by which the body develops immunity to a disease.
• Rhymes for vaccination
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in 1800 by British physician Richard Dunning from the Latin 'vacca' (meaning 'cow'), in reference to Edward Jenner's pioneering use of cowpox matter (Variolae vaccinae) to immunize patients against smallpox.