immunity
Americannoun
-
the state of being immune from or insusceptible to a particular disease or the like.
- Antonyms:
- susceptibility
-
the condition that permits either natural or acquired resistance to disease.
-
the ability of a cell to react immunologically in the presence of an antigen.
-
exemption from any natural or usual liability.
- Antonyms:
- liability
-
exemption from obligation, service, duty, or liability to taxation, jurisdiction, etc..
The ambassador claimed diplomatic immunity when they arrested him for reckless driving.
- Synonyms:
- prerogative, liberty, license, franchise
- Antonyms:
- liability
-
Law. exemption from criminal prosecution or legal liability or punishment on certain conditions.
-
special privilege.
-
Ecclesiastical.
-
the exemption of ecclesiastical persons and things from secular or civil liabilities, duties, and burdens.
-
a particular exemption of this kind.
-
noun
-
the ability of an organism to resist disease, either through the activities of specialized blood cells or antibodies produced by them in response to natural exposure or inoculation ( active immunity ) or by the injection of antiserum or the transfer of antibodies from a mother to her baby via the placenta or breast milk ( passive immunity ) See also acquired immunity natural immunity
-
freedom from obligation or duty, esp exemption from tax, duty, legal liability, etc
-
any special privilege granting immunity
-
the exemption of ecclesiastical persons or property from various civil obligations or liabilities
-
The protection of the body from a disease caused by an infectious agent, such as a bacterium or virus. Immunity may be natural (that is, inherited) or acquired.
-
See also acquired immunity
Synonym Usage
See exemption.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of immunity
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French immunite, from Latin immūnitāt-, stem of immūnitās “freedom or exemption from public charges or burdens.” See immune, -ity
Explanation
Immunity means exemption or resistance. If you're protected against something, you have immunity to it. Your new silver clothes just might grant you immunity from getting thrown in jail by the fashion police. In the late 14th century, the noun immunity, which means “exempt from service or obligation,” developed from the Latin immunitatem, which has nearly identical meaning. Break that word down even further, and you get immunis, meaning “exempt, free,” from in "not" and munis, meaning “performing services.” In a medical sense, immunity is “protection from disease.” Your annual flu shot tries to give you immunity from, or make you insusceptible to, the illness.
Vocabulary lists containing immunity
The Constitution of the United States
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"On Women's Right to Vote" by Susan B. Anthony
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Many of these variations were concentrated in genes related to immunity and smell.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
Carney’s experience mirrors that of leaders from Brussels to Mexico City, where pre-emptive compromises have failed to buy immunity from Washington’s trade wrath.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Maduro was expected to seek immunity in the civil proceedings as a head of state, The New York Times reported.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
The effects may not be immediate, she says, but over time they can impair growth, learning and immunity.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
As expected, the defendants all claimed immunity for the conduct that had resulted in Walter's wrongful conviction.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
He celebrated the “government, which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance—but generously affording to all Liberty of conscience, and immunities of Citizenship.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025
The focus of these hearings is to aid the judges in answering the question posed by the UN General Assembly, specifically whether Israel acted unlawfully in overriding the immunities and privileges of a UN body.
From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2025
Ecuador’s presidency on Friday night also alleged that Mexico’s government had “abused immunities and privileges granted to the diplomatic mission” and granted “diplomatic asylum contrary to the conventional legal framework.”
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 6, 2024
“The phone records may add to the unease of some judges and justices over the fight over presidential immunities and privileges,” said Jonathan Turley, who teaches Constitutional Law at George Washington University.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 29, 2023
Or if one wished to think biologically rather than architecturally, the body politic had yet to develop its immunities to the political diseases afflicting all new nations.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
