Vaccine
/vækˈsiːn/noun
A substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against one or several diseases.
Did you know?The term 'vaccine' originates from the Latin 'vaccinus', which means 'from cows', referencing the use of cowpox to immunize against smallpox.
Etymological Timeline
Late 18th Century
Latin
vaccinus
“Pertaining to cows; derived from 'vacca' meaning cow.”
1796
English
vaccine
“Coined by Edward Jenner to describe his method of using cowpox to prevent smallpox.”
19th Century
English
vaccination
“The act of administering a vaccine.”
Modern English
English
vaccine
“A term widely used to refer to all types of immunization substances.”