noun
vaccine
vak-SEEN
noun
1
A substance given to the body to trigger immunity against a disease, usually made from a weakened or inactive form of the germ that causes it.
"Scientists developed a new vaccine in record time."
"She got the vaccine before traveling to a high-risk region."
2
A computer program that detects and removes viruses or other malware; an antivirus.
"His old antivirus vaccine failed to catch the new ransomware."
How to Use Vaccine
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething (usually a shot) that trains the body to fight off a specific disease.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
get a vaccine
vaccine against
vaccine dose
Word Forms
vaccined past tense, vaccines plural, vaccines singular
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Etymology
From Latin vaccinus, "of a cow," from vacca ("cow"). Edward Jenner coined the related Latin term variolae vaccinae ("cowpox") in the late 1700s, after using cowpox material to protect people against smallpox.