vaccination

American  

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

noun

Medicine/Medical.

• vaccinations
  plural

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

---

vaccination British  

/ ˌvæksɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of vaccinating

2. the scar left following inoculation with a vaccine

---

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.

---

vaccination Cultural  

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

---

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

“The ball is in our court because vaccination behavior drives how we tackle the flu,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

"There is no other way to protect their stock properly so they should be speaking to their vet and looking forward, thinking about what the vaccination programme looks like for them."

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

When Jenette Torres Odena's three-year-old son fell ill days after receiving a jab as part of a Philippine vaccination drive, his photograph quickly spread on Facebook alongside claims the inoculation had killed him.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

“If vaccination rates continue to drop, we will likely see an increase in children dying from influenza.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

“Do you have a certificate of rabies vaccination on the dog?”

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

WSJ | Buy Side: The best pet-wellness plans save you money on preventive care such as annual exams and vaccinations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Measles, Dana Bash, says, asking Hilton about his stand on vaccinations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

A request for a whole-body MRI or multi-cancer blood test should lead to a careful review of family history, inherited risk, exposures, vaccinations, and whether established screening is up to date.

From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026

So far that hasn’t happened, but experts argue the lack of accompanied public messaging could still dissuade some people from keeping up-to-date on their vaccinations.

From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026

All were given vaccinations, metal feeding bowls, and warm clothes.

From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson