Definitions for vaccinevækˈsin; esp. Brit. ˈvæk sin

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

vac•cinevækˈsin; esp. Brit. ˈvæk sin(n.)

any preparation of weakened or killed bacteria or viruses introduced into the body to prevent a disease by stimulating antibodies against it.
Category: Immunology
the virus of cowpox, used in vaccination, obtained from pox vesicles of a cow or person.
Category: Microbiology
a software program that helps to protect against computer viruses.
Category: Computers

Origin of vaccine:

1800–05; < NL (variolae)vaccīnae cowpox =vacc(a) cow +-īnae, fem. pl. of -īnus -ine1

Princeton's WordNet

vaccine, vaccinum(noun)
immunogen consisting of a suspension of weakened or dead pathogenic cells injected in order to stimulate the production of antibodies

Wiktionary

vaccine(Noun)
A substance given to stimulate the body's production of antibodies and provide immunity against a disease, prepared from the agent that causes the disease, or a synthetic substitute.

Origin: From vaccinus, from vacca (because of early use of the cowpox virus against smallpox). Cf. New or Scientific Latin (variola) vaccina, or "cowpox".

Webster Dictionary

Vaccine(adj)
of or pertaining to cows; pertaining to, derived from, or caused by, vaccinia; as, vaccine virus; the vaccine disease
Vaccine(noun)
the virus of vaccinia used in vaccination
Vaccine(noun)
any preparation used to render an organism immune to some disease, by inducing or increasing the natural immunity mechanisms. Prior to 1995, such preparations usually contained killed organisms of the type for which immunity was desired, and sometimes used live organisms having attenuated virulence. since that date, preparations containing only specific antigenic portions of the pathogenic organism are also used, some of which are prepared by genetic engineering techniques

Translations for vaccine

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

vaccine(noun)

a substance made from the germs that cause a particular disease, especially smallpox, and given to a person or animal to prevent him from catching that disease.