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verb

vaccinate

VAK-sih-nayt

Vaccinate (verb) means to give someone a vaccine so their body builds protection against a disease. Example: “The clinic vaccinated hundreds of children against measles last week.”

verb
1
To give someone a vaccine so their body builds protection against a disease.
"The clinic vaccinated hundreds of children against measles last week."
"Vets recommend vaccinating puppies before they mix with other dogs."

How to use vaccinate

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo give a vaccine shot so the body learns to fight off a disease.

Easily confused with
Common pairings
vaccinate against [disease] vaccinated children get vaccinated

Word forms

vaccinated past tense, vaccinates singular

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The clinic _____ hundreds of children against measles last week.

Etymology

From "vaccine" plus the verb-forming suffix "-ate" — ultimately traced back to Latin vacca, "cow," because the first vaccines used cowpox material.

Origin: Latin

immunize immunise inoculate

Related words

Rhymes for vaccinate

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Frequently asked questions

What does “vaccinate” mean?

The word “vaccinate” means to give someone a vaccine so their body builds protection against a disease. In plain terms, to give a vaccine shot so the body learns to fight off a disease.

How do you pronounce “vaccinate”?

“Vaccinate” is pronounced VAK-sih-nayt (/ˈvæksɪneɪt/ in IPA).

How do you use “vaccinate” in a sentence?

Here is “vaccinate” used in a sentence: “The clinic vaccinated hundreds of children against measles last week.”

What part of speech is “vaccinate”?

“Vaccinate” is a verb.

Where does the word “vaccinate” come from?

The word “vaccinate” comes from Latin. From "vaccine" plus the verb-forming suffix "-ate" — ultimately traced back to Latin vacca, "cow," because the first vaccines used cowpox material.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial