autoimmune

[ aw-toh-i-myoon ]

adjective

, Immunology.

1. of or relating to the immune response of an organism against any of its own tissues, cells, or cell components.

autoimmune

/ ˌɔːtəʊɪˈmjuːn /

adjective

1. (of a disease) caused by the action of antibodies produced against substances normally present in the body

Derived Forms

• ˌautoimˈmunity, noun

Other Words From

• auto·im·muni·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of autoimmune¹

First recorded in 1950–55; auto- ¹ + immune

Example Sentences

Among them are cancer patients receiving active treatment, dementia patients near the end of their lives and people with autoimmune conditions.

From Washington Post

I’ve had my blood drawn and scanned for Lyme disease, autoimmune disorders, and cancer.

From Outside Online

She had hoped that serving on the committee would give her insight into the care received by her daughter, Zainab Edwards, who is deaf, has autoimmune encephalitis and suffers from seizures.

From ProPublica

They include treatments for many cancers, autoimmune disorders, and rare diseases.

From Fortune

She frequently wrote exemptions for patients with a family history of autoimmune diseases – which goes against guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatricians.

From Voice of San Diego

This autoimmune disorder, which affects about seven in 10,000 people, causes numbness and pain in the limbs and imbalance walking.

From The Daily Beast

The Andrews family had already lost a daughter to an autoimmune disease in 1999.

From The Daily Beast

This may cause a negative autoimmune response, and inhibits proper digestion and nutrient absorption.

From The Daily Beast

The thing is that autoimmune diseases—like diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis—are on the rise.

From The Daily Beast

Nightshades have been associated with arthritis, fibromyalgia, autoimmune conditions and headaches.

From The Daily Beast