immune

[ih-myoon]

adjective

1. protected from a disease or the like, as by inoculation or by having the necessary antibodies due to a previous infection (often followed byto ).

   Most adults in the study were immune to yellow fever due to previous vaccination.

   Since I had already had measles, I assumed I was immune.

2. of or relating to the production of antibodies or lymphocytes that can react with a specific antigen.

   Crohn's disease is an abnormal immune reaction that causes the immune system to attack cells in the lining of the digestive tract.

3. exempt or protected.

   He thought being rich made him immune from punishment, but he went to jail for his crimes.

4. not responsive or susceptible.

   Over time writers are supposed to grow immune to criticism and let bad reviews roll off our backs.

   You're certainly highly resistant to argument, and also immune to new ideas.

noun

1. a person who is immune.

immune

/ ɪˈmjuːn /

adjective

1. protected against a specific disease by inoculation or as the result of innate or acquired resistance

2. relating to or conferring immunity See antibody

   an immune body

3. unsusceptible (to) or secure (against)

   immune to inflation

4. exempt from obligation, penalty, etc

noun

1. an immune person or animal

Other Word Forms

• hyperimmune adjective
• nonimmune adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of immune¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin immūnis “exempt,” from im- im- ² + -mūnis ( common )

Word History and Origins

Origin of immune¹

C15: from Latin immūnis exempt from a public service, from _im- (not) + mūnus duty

Example Sentences

A recent study found that small evolutionary mutations in cGAS -- an enzyme in the innate immune system that detects DNA and triggers immune defenses -- could make these animals better at repairing age-related genetic damage.

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The condition and function of lymph nodes appear to influence how effectively the immune system produces cancer-fighting T cells, which can directly affect treatment outcomes.

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This means putting China at the cutting edge of chip-making, computing and AI - not reliant on Western technology and immune to embargoes.

Read more on BBC

"We could design an even better nonspecific vaccine to mobilize and reset the immune response, in a way that could essentially be a universal, off-the-shelf cancer vaccine for all cancer patients."

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Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment that harnesses the body's own immune defenses to attack tumors.

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Related Words

• exempt 
• resistant 
• unaffected