vaccine

adjective

1. 1

   historicalOf, pertaining to, caused by, or characteristic of cowpox.

2. 2

   historicalOf or pertaining to cowpox as a source of material for vaccination against smallpox; also, of or pertaining to such material used for vaccination.

   I will call upon them: they are healthy children, we can have the vaccine infection from them, and I will inoculate the boy myself.

3. 3

   archaicOf, pertaining to, or derived from cattle.

   [M]y play could not have been written but for the work done by Sir Almroth Wright in the theory and practice of securing immunization from bacterial diseases by the inoculation of "vaccines" made of their own bacteria: a practice incorrectly called vaccinetherapy (there is nothing vaccine about it) apparently because it is what vaccination ought to be and is not.

noun

1. 1

   A substance given to stimulate a body's production of antibodies and provide immunity against a disease without causing the disease itself in the treatment, prepared from the agent that causes the disease (or a derivative of it; or a related, also effective, but safer disease), or a synthetic substitute; also, a dose of such a substance.

   I am much inclined to the vaccine. My friend, Mr. L—, has had all his children vaccined, and I just wait to see the effect.

   But he really ought to know the difference between a vaccine and an anti-toxin. Stimulate the phagocytes! The vaccine doesnt affect the phagocytes at all.

   “I’m thrilled about the prospect of this, as well as about the prospect of other R.S.V. vaccines in the pipeline,” said Dr. Miller, who is not an adviser to the agency. […] The vaccine under review Thursday was tested in about 7,300 women after the 24th week of pregnancy.

2. 2

   The process of vaccination; immunization, inoculation.

   My dog has had two vaccines this year.

3. 3

   historicalThe material taken from cowpox pustules used for vaccination against smallpox.

4. 4

   obsoleteThe disease cowpox, especially as a source of material for vaccination against smallpox.

5. 5

   figurativeSomething defensive or protective in nature, like a vaccine (sense 1.1).

6. 6

   figurativeA software program which protects computers against, or detects and neutralizes, computer viruses and other types of malware; an antivirus.

verb

1. 1

   archaicSynonym of vaccinate (“to treat (a person or an animal) with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease”).

   [S]ince you have decided that the boy shall be vaccined, let us send directly for the surgeon and have it done, and then he will be safe.

Forms

plural

vaccines

past tense

vaccined

past participle

vaccined

present participle

vaccining

third person singular

vaccines