immunity

/ɪˈmjunədi/

/ɪˈmjunɪti/

Other forms: immunities

Immunity means exemption or resistance. If you're protected against something, you have immunity to it. Your new silver clothes just might grant you immunity from getting thrown in jail by the fashion police.

In the late 14th century, the noun immunity, which means “exempt from service or obligation,” developed from the Latin immunitatem, which has nearly identical meaning. Break that word down even further, and you get immunis, meaning “exempt, free,” from in "not" and munis, meaning “performing services.” In a medical sense, immunity is “protection from disease.” Your annual flu shot tries to give you immunity from, or make you insusceptible to, the illness.

Definitions of immunity

1. noun

   (medicine) the condition in which an organism can resist disease
   synonyms: resistance

   types:

   immunogenicity

   the property of eliciting an immune response

   acquired immunity

   immunity to a particular disease that is not innate but has been acquired during life; immunity can be acquired by the development of antibodies after an attack of an infectious disease or by a pregnant mother passing antibodies through the placenta to a fetus or by vaccination

   innate immunity, natural immunity

   immunity to disease that occurs as part of an individual's natural biologic makeup

   active immunity

   a form of acquired immunity in which the body produces its own antibodies against disease-causing antigens

   passive immunity

   an impermanent form of acquired immunity in which antibodies against a disease are acquired naturally (as through the placenta to an unborn child) or artificially (as by injection of antiserum)

   racial immunity

   natural immunity shared by all members of a particular race

   type of:

   condition, status

   a state at a particular time
2. noun

   the state of not being susceptible
   synonyms: unsusceptibility

   types:

   exemption, freedom

   immunity from an obligation or duty

   amnesty

   a period during which offenders are exempt from punishment

   diplomatic immunity

   exemption from taxation or normal processes of law that is offered to diplomatic personnel in a foreign country

   indemnity

   legal exemption from liability for damages

   impunity

   exemption from punishment or loss

   grandfather clause

   an exemption based on circumstances existing prior to the adoption of some policy; used to enfranchise illiterate whites in south after the American Civil War

   type of:

   condition, status

   a state at a particular time
3. noun

   the quality of being unaffected by something
   “immunity to criticism”

   type of:

   invulnerability

   the property of being invulnerable; the property of being incapable of being hurt (physically or emotionally)
4. noun

   an act exempting someone
   “he was granted immunity from prosecution”

   synonyms: exemption, granting immunity

   types:

   fix

   an exemption granted after influence (e.g., money) is brought to bear

   official immunity

   personal immunity accorded to a public official from liability to anyone injured by actions that are the consequence of exerting official authority

   sovereign immunity

   an exemption that precludes bringing a suit against the sovereign government without the government's consent

   testimonial immunity, use immunity

   an exemption that displaces the privilege against self-incrimination; neither compelled testimony or any fruits of it can be used against the witness who therefore can no longer fear self-incrimination

   transactional immunity

   a broader form of use immunity that also protects the witness from any prosecution brought about relating to transactions to which they gave testimony

   type of:

   discharge, release, waiver

   a formal written statement of relinquishment