immunization
Meaning of immunization: Immunization is the deliberate process of producing protective immunity against a specific infectious disease, most often achieved through vaccination.
Definition of immunization
Immunization is the process by which a person becomes protected against a specific infectious disease, most often achieved by giving a vaccine that trains the immune system to recognize a particular organism or its components without causing the disease itself.
After immunization, the immune system retains a memory of the organism or its components, allowing it to respond more quickly and effectively if the person is later exposed to the actual infectious agent. Some immunizations require more than one dose, or periodic repeat doses, to establish or maintain a sufficient level of protection over time.
Immunization can also occur passively, through the transfer of ready made antibodies rather than through a person's own immune response, providing protection that begins quickly but generally lasts for a shorter time than protection produced through vaccination. Widespread immunization within a population can also reduce the spread of an infectious disease to those who are not immune.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The child's immunization record was reviewed at the well visit.
Good to know
Immunization can refer either to the deliberate process of vaccination or, more broadly, to any means by which protection against a specific disease is established, including the passive transfer of antibodies.
Word origin
Where “immunization” comes from
Formed from Latin immunis, meaning exempt or free from burden, combined with the suffix -ize, denoting the process of making something so.