adjuvant

American  

[aj-uh-vuhnt] / ˈædʒ ə vənt /

adjective

1. serving to help or assist; auxiliary.

   You'll be serving in an adjuvant capacity, on call if we need you.

2. Medicine/Medical.  utilizing drugs, radiation therapy, or other means of supplemental treatment following cancer surgery or other primary cancer treatment.

   The cancer was caught at such an early stage that adjuvant measures were determined to be unnecessary.

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noun

1. a person or thing that aids or helps.

   a team of adjuvants.

2. Medicine/Medical, Pharmacology.  anything that aids in the treatment of disease, management of pain, etc., especially a substance added to a medication to aid the effect of the main ingredient.

   For some in acute pain, caffeine is an effective analgesic adjuvant.

3. Immunology.  a substance admixed with an immunogen in order to elicit a more marked immune response.

   Aluminum salts have been used as adjuvants in vaccines for many decades.

adjuvant British  

/ ˈædʒəvənt /

adjective

1. aiding or assisting

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noun

1. something that aids or assists; auxiliary

2. med a drug or other substance that enhances the activity of another

3. immunol a substance that enhances the immune response stimulated by an antigen when injected with the antigen

Etymology

Origin of adjuvant

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin adjuvant- (stem of adjuvāns, adjective use of present participle of adjuvāre ), equivalent to prefix ad- + juv- (stem of juvāre “to help”) + -ant; ad- ( def. ), aid, -ant

Example Sentences

The study claimed to find a strong correlation between the use in vaccines of aluminum adjuvants and rising autism in the 1980s and 1990s.

From The Wall Street Journal

One classic strategy, used in vaccines against hepatitis B, shingles, and human papillomavirus, among others, relies on a combination of proteins and an adjuvant; this design has, in the past, yielded durable protection.

From Science Magazine

Unlike the mRNA vaccines, Novavax is a protein subunit vaccine, meaning it contains proteins of the virus that causes COVID-19 and an adjuvant that helps the immune system respond to those proteins.

From Seattle Times

Fluad quadrivalent: This vaccine contains the same amount of flu antigen as the standard shot but also contains something called an adjuvant.

From Washington Post

The third option is the Fluad Quadrivalent vaccine, which is manufactured with an adjuvant, a substance that enhances the body’s immune response.

From Seattle Times

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