What does vaccinate mean?
To vaccinate is to give a vaccine to a person or animal so that the immune system develops protection against a specific infectious disease. The word is most familiar in public health, where infants, children, older adults, and other vulnerable groups are vaccinated against diseases such as measles, influenza, and polio, but it also applies to veterinary practice. Vaccination is both a practical procedure and a central concept in immunology and public health. Although the basic sense is straightforward, the word carries the historical importance of vaccination's development following Edward Jenner's use of cowpox against smallpox. In ordinary usage, vaccinate means administering the vaccine; the related noun vaccination denotes either that procedure or the broader public-health practice. It should not be confused with vaccine, which names the preparation itself rather than the act of administering it.
verbTo administer a vaccine to a person or animal, usually to stimulate immunity against a particular infectious disease.
- To administer a vaccine to a person or animal in order to stimulate immunity against an infectious disease.
"Health workers vaccinate infants against several diseases during routine visits."
"Clinics vaccinate eligible patients against influenza each autumn."
"Farmers vaccinate their cattle to help prevent serious disease."
Vaccinate preserves a Latin secret in its root: vacca means “cow,” recalling the cowpox used in Edward Jenner's pioneering protection against smallpox.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does vaccinate come from?
Vaccinate was formed in English in the early 19th century from vaccine plus the suffix -ate. Vaccine came through Latin vaccinus, meaning “of or from cows,” from vacca, “cow,” reflecting the use of cowpox in early vaccination against smallpox. The same lineage produced words including vaccinia, associated with cowpox virus, and vaccinism, denoting the practice or principle of vaccination.
Related word forms
How vaccinate is actually used
The word has a neutral to formal register and is normally transitive, taking the person or animal being vaccinated as its object. British and American usage are broadly identical. It normally describes preventive administration of a vaccine rather than treatment for an illness already present.
Easily confused with vaccinate
A vaccine is the preparation administered to stimulate immunity; to vaccinate is the act of giving it.