immunised
/ˈɪmjunaɪzd/
verb
Origin
Latin
immunis — exempt from public service or tax
Overview
Meaning Now
- To make a person or animal resistant to a particular infectious disease, typically by means of a vaccine.
- To make someone or something immune or insensitive to something.
Literal older meaning
made exempt
Language path
Latin → French → English
Earliest form
immunise
Earliest period
late 19th century
Journey
The term derives from the legal and civic concept of 'immunity' (exemption from tribute or service). In the late 19th century, following the work of Louis Pasteur and others on vaccines, the word was metaphorically transferred to biological resistance against pathogens.
Evolution
- Latin
immunis
“exempt”
From in- 'not' + munus 'service/duty'
- Middle French
immuniser
“to grant exemption”
- English, 19th century
immunise
“to render immune to disease”
Adopted into medical terminology
Connections
Word parts
immun-
root
exempt
-ise
suffix
to make
-d
ending
past participle
Related across languages
French
immuniser
to immunize
German
immunisieren
to immunize
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Related to immunised
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.