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Definition of immunity noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

immunity

noun
 
/ɪˈmjuːnəti/
 
/ɪˈmjuːnəti/
(plural immunities)
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  1. [uncountable] the body’s ability to avoid or not be affected by infection and disease
    • immunity (to something) immunity to infection
    • immunity against something The vaccine provides longer immunity against flu.
    see also herd immunity
    Collocations IllnessesIllnessesBecoming ill
    • catch a cold/​an infectious disease/​the flu/(British English) flu/​pneumonia/​a virus/(informal) a bug
    • get (British English) ill/(North American English) sick/​a disease/​AIDS/​breast cancer/​a cold/​the flu/(British English) flu/​a migraine
    • come down with a cold/​the flu/(British English) flu
    • contract a deadly disease/​a serious illness/​HIV/​AIDS
    • be infected with a virus/​a parasite/​HIV
    • develop cancer/​diabetes/​a rash/​an ulcer/​symptoms of hepatitis
    • have a heart attack/​a stroke
    • provoke/​trigger/​produce an allergic reaction
    • block/​burst/​rupture a blood vessel
    • damage/​sever a nerve/​an artery/​a tendon
    Being ill
    • feel (British English) ill/​nauseous/​queasy
    • be running (British English) a temperature/(North American English) a fever
    • have a head cold/​diabetes/​heart disease/​lung cancer/​a headache/(British English) a high temperature/(North American English) a fever
    • suffer from asthma/​malnutrition/​frequent headaches/​nausea/​bouts of depression/​post-traumatic stress disorder
    • be laid up with/ (British English) be in bed with a cold/​the flu/(British English) flu/​a migraine
    • nurse a cold/​a headache/​a hangover
    • battle/​fight cancer/​depression/​addiction/​alcoholism
    Treatments
    • examine a patient
    • diagnose a condition/​disease/​disorder
    • be diagnosed with cancer/​diabetes/​schizophrenia
    • prescribe/​be given/​be on/​take drugs/​medicine/​medication/​pills/​painkillers/​antibiotics
    • treat somebody for cancer/​depression/​shock
    • have/​undergo an examination/​an operation/​surgery/​a kidney transplant/​therapy/​chemotherapy/​treatment for cancer
    • have/​be given an injection/(British English) a flu jab/(North American English) a flu shot/​a blood transfusion/​a scan/​an X-ray
    • cure a disease/​an ailment/​cancer/​a headache/​a patient
    • prevent the spread of disease/​further outbreaks/​damage to the lungs
    • be vaccinated against the flu/(British English) flu/​the measles/(British English) measles/​polio/​smallpox
    • enhance/​boost/​confer/​build immunity to a disease
    Extra Examples
    • The vaccine only confers immunity for a few months.
    • High levels of stress may lower your immunity to common illnesses.
    • The island's inhabitants had no immunity to the diseases carried by the explorers and quickly succumbed.
    • The newcomers lacked immunity against local strains of the disease.
    Topics Health and Fitnessc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • strong
    • acquired
    • natural
    verb + immunity
    • have
    • lack
    • acquire
    immunity + verb
    • develop
    preposition
    • immunity against
    • immunity to
    See full entry
  2. [uncountable] immunity (to something) the state of not being affected by something, especially something that you might expect to be harmful
    • the president's seeming immunity to criticism
  3. [uncountable, countable] immunity (from something) the state of being protected from something
    • The spies were all granted immunity from prosecution.
    • parliamentary/congressional immunity (= protection against particular laws that is given to politicians)
    • Officials of all member states receive certain privileges and immunities.
    see also diplomatic immunity
    Extra Examples
    • He has agreed to waive his immunity and face prosecution.
    • Several ministers were stripped of parliamentary immunity as a prelude to facing corruption charges.
    • Unions were granted immunity from prosecution for non-violent acts.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • complete
    • total
    • diplomatic
    verb + immunity
    • enjoy
    • claim
    • seek
    preposition
    • immunity from
    See full entry
  4. Word Originlate Middle English: in the sense ‘exemption (from a liability)’: from Latin immunitas, from immunis ‘exempt from public service or charge’, from in- ‘not’ + munis ‘ready for service’.
See immunity in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee immunity in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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