vaccination

American  

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

noun

Medicine/Medical.

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

• antivaccination adjective
• nonvaccination noun
• postvaccination adjective
• prevaccination noun
• provaccination adjective
• revaccination noun

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

Example Sentences

The new U.S. vaccination guidelines are much closer to those of Denmark, which routinely vaccinates its children against only 10 diseases.

From Los Angeles Times

“But the claim that our country is uniquely aggressive in childhood vaccination collapses under even cursory international comparison,” it concluded.

From Barron's

Public-health experts have pushed back on the notion that the U.S. should mirror Denmark, arguing that vaccination policies reflect each country’s distinct needs and priorities.

From The Wall Street Journal

A teenager who had to learn how to walk again after contracting chickenpox when she was two has welcomed new free vaccinations against the illness.

From BBC

"Families will save both time and money - no longer facing lost income from taking time off work or having to fork out for private vaccinations," Streeting said.

From BBC