vaccination

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the process of administering a vaccine to stimulate protection against a disease

   A nationwide vaccination campaign sharply reduced measles infections.

2. 2
   noun

   an individual dose or instance of receiving a vaccine

   The clinic recorded each vaccination in the patient's medical file.

From vaccinate + -ion, ultimately from Latin vacca ("cow"). The terminology arose because Edward Jenner's early smallpox-prevention method used material associated with cowpox; its meaning later broadened to immunization with any vaccine.

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