What does serological mean?
Serological means relating to blood serum or to the scientific study of serum. The term is especially associated with the examination of antibodies and antigens, which can provide evidence of infection, immunity, exposure to pathogens, or other immune responses. Serological testing is widely used in medicine and public health, including the diagnosis of infections, the assessment of vaccine responses, and the study of disease spread. In epidemiological research, serological surveys examine blood samples from populations to estimate past exposure to a disease. The word has a distinctly technical and professional register, so it is more common in medical and scientific contexts than in everyday speech. Its related noun, serology, names both the branch of study and the analytical methods used to investigate serum. Together with terms such as serologic and serologically, it forms part of the vocabulary of immunology and laboratory medicine.
adjectiveRelating to serology, the scientific study of blood serum. In medicine and epidemiology, it often refers to the detection and analysis of antibodies or antigens in serum.
- Relating to blood serum or the scientific analysis of serum, especially the detection of antibodies and antigens.
"Serological testing was used to determine whether the population had been exposed to the virus."
"Serological evidence indicated that many people had been infected before the outbreak was identified."
"The laboratory uses serological methods to compare antibody responses across the patient groups."
Serology turns blood serum into a historical record: antibodies can reveal past exposure to pathogens.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does serological come from?
Serological is formed from the related noun serology, combining the Latin-derived word serum with the Greek study-forming element -logy. The word serum comes from Latin serum, originally meaning the watery part of milk or the fluid remaining from coagulated blood. Its relatives serous and serosal also derive from Latin serum and refer to fluid, membranous, or serum-related matters.
Related word forms
How serological is actually used
This is primarily a formal, technical term used in medicine, epidemiology, immunology, and laboratory science. In general writing, it is less common than the related noun “serology” or the adjective “serologic.”