immune response

American  

noun

1. any of the body's immunologic reactions to an antigen.

---

immune response British  

noun

1. the reaction of an organism's body to foreign materials (antigens), including the production of antibodies

---

immune response Scientific  

/ ĭ-myo̅o̅n′ /

1. A protective response of the body's immune system to an antigen, especially a microorganism or virus that causes disease. The immune response involves the action of lymphocytes that deactivate antigens either by stimulating the production of antibodies (humoral immune response) or by a direct attack on foreign cells (cell-mediated immune response.) An inability to produce a normal immune response results in immunodeficiency diseases such as AIDS.

2. See also cell-mediated immune response humoral immune response

---

Etymology

Origin of immune response

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

immune response

This is enough to trigger the immune system to recognise a threat and mount an immune response.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

Their findings suggest the non-invasive approach may shift the body's immune response away from long-lasting inflammation and toward tissue repair, offering a potential drug-free strategy for improving healing.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026

"By creating conditions that support a more effective antitumor immune response, these particles may help unlock the full potential of immunotherapy in prostate cancer, where durable responses have historically been difficult to achieve."

From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026

It’s caused by the saliva in a tick and how it intersects with the immune response of certain people.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

In contrast, mice inoculated with the rough strain mounted an immune response and survived.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee