vaccination

American  

[vak-suh-ney-shuhn] / ˌvæk səˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

Medicine/Medical.

vaccinations plural

1. the act or practice of vaccinating; inoculation with a vaccine.

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vaccination British  

/ ˌvæksɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of vaccinating

2. the scar left following inoculation with a vaccine

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vaccination Scientific  

/ văk′sə-nā′shən /

1. Inoculation with a vaccine in order to protect against a particular disease.

2. A scar left on the skin by vaccinating.

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vaccination Cultural  

1. Inoculation with a vaccine to produce immunity to a particular infectious disease.

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Usage

What’s the difference between vaccination, inoculation, and immunization? In the context of medicine, the words vaccination, inoculation, and immunization are often used in overlapping ways, and for good reason—they all involve the process of introducing a substance (especially a vaccine) into a person’s body with the goal of preventing them from getting a particular disease. Vaccination is the most specific of the three terms, because it always involves introducing a vaccine, which usually consists of a small amount of a killed, weakened, or otherwise modified version of a disease (such as a virus or bacterium). While inoculation has other meanings outside the context of medicine, in modern healthcare it’s typically used interchangeably with vaccination (though it’s used less commonly). Immunization is slightly different—it refers to the process of providing immunity from a specific disease. While the goal of vaccinating someone is often to immunize them, not all vaccines provide permanent immunity. Some vaccines provide what amounts to long-term immunity, while others only lead to a temporary protection, after which the body “forgets” how to make certain antibodies. In these cases, a booster shot or dose is often required, consisting of a follow-up vaccination to boost or renew the protection gained from the earlier vaccination. Both vaccination and inoculation can refer to a shot or dose, as opposed to the process of providing or receiving such doses, as in I’m scheduled to get a vaccination on Friday. The word immunization can be used in the same way to refer to such a vaccination when it’s one that provides immunity, as in Have you received all of your immunizations?Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between vaccinate, inoculate, and immunize.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonvaccination
  noun
• prevaccination
  noun
• revaccination
  noun
• antivaccination
  adjective
• postvaccination
  adjective
• provaccination
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• vaccinations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of vaccination

First recorded in 1800–10; vaccine + -ation

Compare meaning

How does vaccination compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• inoculation vs. vaccination
• vaccination vs. immunization

Explanation

Vaccination is the act of getting a shot (a vaccine) to protect you against a certain disease. If you want to protect yourself from catching the mumps, you will need to undergo a vaccination. If you've ever gotten a bad cut or stepped on rusty metal, your doctor has probably asked when you last had a Tetanus shot. A Tetanus shot is a vaccine, a protective dose of medicine that keeps you from getting sick. Some common vaccinations protect against the flu, measles, and whooping cough. The word vaccination comes from vaccine, "related to cows," because the first vaccines, developed to prevent smallpox, were made from a virus called cowpox.

Example Sentences

Vaccination, which has typically been recommended for older adults, reduces the likelihood of shingles and lowers the risk of postherpetic neuralgia, or long-term nerve pain that can persist after the rash clears.

From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2026

Vaccination rates in the U.S. were already dipping before Kennedy’s appointment to Health and Human Services.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

Vaccination has always been a core public good, with consistent evidence-based policy, and has been associated with more stable economic conditions.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 6, 2026

In 1962, President Kennedy signed the Vaccination Assistance Act, which ensured that all children under five, regardless of income, could receive vaccines against polio, diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus.

From Salon • Jan. 4, 2026

To the reader who may wish to pursue the subject further—and it will well repay thorough study—he would recommend the following bibliography: Ballard: On Vaccination: its Value and Alleged Dangers, London, 1868.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various