vaccination

Definition

Inoculation with a vaccine, in order to protect from a particular disease or strain of disease.

Etymology

From vaccinia, a cowpox infection. Ultimately from Latin vacca (“cow”). Coined by Edward Jenner (1749-1823) in 1798. Jenner infected people with weakened cowpox viruses (vaccinia), to immunise them against smallpox. It is now known that vaccinia and cow pox are separate conditions, but at the time of Jenner, they were considered the same condition.

Example Sentences

• "Near-synonym: immunization (broadly synonymous)"
• "One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains. Isolating a city’s effluent and shipping it away in underground sewers has probably saved more lives than any medical procedure except vaccination."
• "It's^([sic]) spokesperson Leonie Howie did not want to be interviewed but said they "will do the mahi" when it comes to trying to both encourage vaccinations as well as managing any health risks to the community when visitors arrive."

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