Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Protected against a specific disease: Describes being resistant to a particular infectious disease, typically due to antibodies or previous exposure.
   • Not affected or influenced by something: Describes being exempt from or not susceptible to a particular undesirable condition, influence, or obligation.
   • Relating to the body's immune system: Pertaining to the biological structures and processes that protect against disease.

2. Noun:

   • A person or organism that is resistant to a specific infection: An individual who is protected against a particular disease.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • After recovering from chickenpox, she is now immune to it.
  • The diplomat claimed immune status from local prosecution.
  • Vaccines help make the body immune to certain viruses.
  • He seems immune to criticism; it never bothers him.

• Noun:

  • Survivors of the plague were immunes who could care for the sick without fear. (This usage is less common in modern English).

Advanced Usage

• "To be immune to something": To be not affected or influenced by something (often abstract).
  • She is immune to flattery; she sees right through it.
• "To be immune from something": To be exempt or protected from something (often a legal duty or harm).
  • The ambassador is immune from arrest under international law.
• Immunity (n): The state of being immune. This is the more common noun form.
  • The treaty grants the officials diplomatic immunity.

Variants and Related Words

• Immunity (n): The condition of being immune.
• Immunize (v): To make someone immune to a disease, typically by vaccination.
• Immunology (n): The branch of medicine concerned with immunity.
• Autoimmune (adj): Relating to a condition where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues. (This is a compound word listed separately as per instructions).

Synonyms

• Resistant: Not affected or harmed by something.
• Insusceptible: Not likely to be affected by something.
• Exempt: Free from an obligation or duty imposed on others.
• Protected: Kept safe from harm.

Related Phrases

• Immune response: The reaction of the immune system to a foreign substance.
• Immune system: The body's defense system against infections.
• Herd immunity: A form of indirect protection that occurs when a large percentage of a population becomes immune.

Related Idioms

• To have a cast-iron stomach/immune system: To be able to eat anything or rarely get sick (informal). While not using "immune" directly, it relates to the concept of strong resistance.
  • He never gets food poisoning; he must have a cast-iron immune system.

Adjective

1. (usually followed by `to') not affected by a given influence
   • immune to persuasion
2. relating to or conferring immunity (to disease or infection)
3. secure against
   • immune from taxation as long as he resided in Bermuda
   • immune from criminal prosecution
4. relating to the condition of immunity
   • the immune system

Noun

1. a person who is immune to a particular infection