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

See Examples For:

vaccination vaccinations

Ultimately, the research points toward a future in which vaccination decisions could be informed by an individual's own level of immune readiness.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026

“This is an individual-level based vaccination for somebody’s individual tumor,” said Michael Christopher, a dermatologist in Tucson, Ariz., who specializes in early detection of skin cancer.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

The announcement blindsided staff, who had been working with the couple on initiatives extending from online bullying to vaccination campaigns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

The H5N1 vaccination program, which also covers a popular little penguin population at a breakwater in the Melbourne beach suburb of St Kilda, is a challenge, he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

The old ones had grown over like scars on a vaccination.

From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen

By obstructing vaccine deliveries and restricting immunization teams in the areas they control, they have left nearly five million Yemeni children without routine vaccinations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

A major problem officials identified at that time was that poor parents could not afford vaccinations for their children.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

States, for example, have the authority to require vaccinations for students to attend school.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

"But if you compare us to other nations, particularly our European neighbours, we are one of the worst-performing countries in terms of getting early-life vaccinations to children."

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

“You two go to PetBin. They do free vaccinations on weekends. Make sure that thing gets a rabies shot.”

From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth