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

Measles can also devastate immune responses to other infections (immune amnesia), making people who recover from the illness vulnerable to other infectious diseases. —Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2025

These effects can result in inflammation-causing immune responses. —Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 28 Jan. 2025

The potential for a synergistic effect becomes evident with advances aimed at reducing immune responses. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025

Eosinophilic esophagitis occurs when eosinophils—a white blood cell that helps fight infections and plays a role in the body's immune response to allergies—build up in the lining of the esophagus. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 19 Jan. 2025

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