immunology

American  

[im-yuh-nol-uh-jee] / ˌɪm jəˈnɒl ə dʒi /

noun

1. the branch of science dealing with the components of the immune system, immunity from disease, the immune response, and immunologic techniques of analysis.

---

immunology British  

/ ˌɪmjʊˈnɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the branch of biological science concerned with the study of immunity

---

immunology Scientific  

/ ĭm′yə-nŏl′ə-jē /

1. The scientific study of the structure and function of the immune system.

---

Other Word Forms

• immunologist
  noun
• immunologic
  adjective
• immunological
  adjective
• immunologically
  adverb

---

Etymology

Origin of immunology

First recorded in 1905–10; immuno- + -logy

---

Explanation

Immunology is the science of body systems that protect against infection. It's thanks to immunology that we're able to treat and prevent so many diseases today. Immunology is formed by adding the suffix -ology, or "science," to immune, or "exempt from a disease." Scientists and doctors who specialize in immunology study the way our immune systems function (and sometimes malfunction) as they work to defend us from viruses and bacteria. Immunologists are also instrumental in creating vaccines against new diseases and promising treatments like cancer immunotherapy, which boost the patient's own immune system.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

immunology

“If you’ve had chickenpox naturally, that will go away, but it will live dormant. It’ll hang out within your nerves,” Tbakhi, now an allergy and immunology fellow at the University of Cincinnati, explained.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026

AstraZeneca added that the collaboration would cover multiple international projects across the U.S., the Middle East, and Europe spanning its core disease areas—cancer, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, respiratory and immunology, and rare diseases.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

Proposition 38 would authorize the state to issue $8.4 billion in bonds to fund immunology and immunotherapy research to uncover treatments that help the immune system fight diseases such as cancer more effectively.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Regulatory changes last decade, when China made biotech a national priority, have made the country a hub for early-stage oncology and immunology research in particular.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

The problem of olfactory sensing shares some of the current puzzles and confusions of immunology, apart from the business of telling self from non-self.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---