immune response

noun

: a bodily response to an antigen that occurs when lymphocytes identify the antigenic molecule as foreign and induce the formation of antibodies and lymphocytes capable of reacting with it and rendering it harmless

called also immune reaction

Examples of immune response in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Antihistamines to reduce the body's immune response (e.g., diphenhydramine) Bronchodilators to further open the airways (e.g., albuterol or an ipratropium bromide and albuterol combination) Insect Stings Allergic reactions and anaphylaxis are caused by exposure to an allergen. —Daniel More, Health, 24 Oct. 2024

But this new crop of vaccines takes advantage of technology that produces stronger immune responses and is safer than preparations used in the past. —Stephani Sutherland, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024

Once they’d been emptied of glucagon, the micelles did not trigger an immune response or cause organ damage. —New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2024

Authors of the observational study analyzed the immune response from 300 people who never had COVID-19 and received two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine between March and September 2021. —Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

immune response

noun

: a bodily response to a foreign substance, cell, or tissue that involves the formation of antibodies and cells capable of reacting with it and rendering it harmless

called also immune reaction

Medical Definition

immune response

noun

: a bodily response to an antigen that occurs when lymphocytes identify the antigenic molecule as foreign and induce the formation of antibodies and lymphocytes capable of reacting with it and rendering it harmless

called also immune reaction