the ability of an organism to resist disease, either through the activities of specialized blood cells or antibodies produced by them in response to natural exposure or inoculation (active immunity) or by the injection of antiserum or the transfer of antibodies from a mother to her baby via the placenta or breast milk (passive immunity)
See also acquired immunity, natural immunity
2.
freedom from obligation or duty, esp exemption from tax, duty, legal liability, etc
3.
any special privilege granting immunity
4.
the exemption of ecclesiastical persons or property from various civil obligations or liabilities
immunity in American English
(ɪˈmjunəti)
nounWord forms: pluralimˈmunities
1.
exemption or freedom from something burdensome or otherwise unpleasant, as a legal obligation
2.
resistance to or protection against a specified disease; power to resist infection, esp. as a result of antibody formation
SIMILAR WORDS: exˈemption
Word origin
ME ynmunite < OFr immunité < L immunitas, freedom from public service < immunis: see immune
Examples of 'immunity' in a sentence
immunity
Everyone... who is innocent, everyone without an immunity.
Zindell, David THE BROKEN GOD (1998)
He wasn't old enough to have developed an immunity to it yet.
Lowry, Lois ANASTASIA KRUPNIK (3-IN-1) (1998)
It might be no minimum recommendation, it might be immunity, you have to trust me.
Seymour, Gerald FIELD OF BLOOD (1998)
I'm going to go out on a limb and offer you complete immunity from prosecution, if you tell me everything right now.
Stuart Woods SWIMMING TO CATALINA (1998)
Synonyms of 'immunity'
exemption, amnesty, indemnity, release
resistance, protection, resilience, inoculation
More Synonyms of immunity
All related terms of 'immunity'
herd immunity
the immunity that occurs when an entire group of animals or people become immune to a particular infection , as with universal vaccination
tax immunity
the fact of being immune from taxation
active immunity
immunity (to a disease) due to the production of antibodies by the body
acquired immunity
the immunity produced by exposure of an organism to antigens , which stimulates the production of antibodies
natural immunity
immunity with which an individual is born, which has a genetic basis
passive immunity
immunity (to a disease) acquired by the injection of antibodies from an animal or person who has acquired active immunity
diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is the freedom from legal action and from paying taxes that a diplomat has in the country in which he or she is working .
cell-mediated immunity
immunity independent of antibody but dependent on the recognition of antigen by T cells and their subsequent destruction of cells bearing the antigen or on the secretion by T cells of lymphokines that enhance the ability of phagocytes to eliminate the antigen
antibody-mediated immunity
immunity conferred to an individual through the activity of B cells and their progeny , which produce circulating antibodies in response to the presence of a foreign substance and recognize the substance upon renewed exposure
1 (noun)
Definition
freedom from prosecution, tax, etc.
The police are offering immunity to witnesses who can help them.
Synonyms
exemption
new exemptions for students and the unwaged
amnesty
Activists will not automatically be granted amnesty.
indemnity
He was offered indemnity from prosecution in return for his evidence.
release
a blessed release from the obligation to work
freedom
freedom from government control
liberty
Such a system would be a blow to the liberty of the people.
privilege
He will use parliamentary privilege to make this information public.
prerogative
I thought it was a woman's prerogative to change her mind?
invulnerability
exoneration
2 (noun)
Definition
the ability of an organism to resist disease
immunity to airborne bacteria
Synonyms
resistance
protection
resilience
inoculation
immunization
Opposites
exposure
,
susceptibility
,
liability
,
vulnerability
,
openness
,
proneness
Additional synonyms
in the sense of amnesty
Definition
a general pardon for offences against a government
Activists will not automatically be granted amnesty.