Immune

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /ɪˈmjuːn/
• Rhymes: -uːn

Origin

From Middle French immun, from Latin immūnis ("exempt from public service"), from in- ("not") + mūnus ("service")

Full definition of immune

Adjective

1. (usually with "from") Exempt; not subject to.
• 1922, Michael Arlen, “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days Chapter 2/9/1, He had always been remarkably immune from such little ailments, and had only once in his life been ill, of a vicious pneumonia long ago at school. He hadn't the faintest idea what to with a cold in the head, he just took quinine and continued to blow his nose.
2. As a diplomat, you are immune from prosecution.
3. (medicine, usually with "to") Protected by inoculation, or due to innate resistance to pathogens.
   I am immune to chicken pox.
4. (by extension) Not vulnerable.
   Alas, he was immune to my charms.
5. (medicine) Of or pertaining to the immune system.
• 2013, Katrina G. Claw, Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm, Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.
6. We examined the patient's immune response.

Antonyms

• susceptible
• vulnerable

Derived terms

• autoimmune

Noun

1. (epidemiology) A person who is not susceptible to infection by a particular disease
• Susceptibles effectively exposed to cases become cases in the next time period; cases recovering from the infection accumulate as immunes.

Coordinate terms

• infective
• susceptible