vaccinate

verb

vac·​ci·​nate ˈvak-sə-ˌnāt 

vaccinated; vaccinating

transitive verb

: to administer a vaccine to usually by injection

intransitive verb

: to perform or practice vaccination

vaccinator

ˈvak-sə-ˌnā-tər 

noun

Examples of vaccinate in a Sentence

We vaccinate all the animals that come to our shelter.

Recent Examples on the Web

The scientists found that 15.8% of participants reported any status of HPV vaccination, while only 6.5% reported they were fully vaccinated. —Maggie O'Neill, Health, 24 Dec. 2024

Leptospirosis, a potentially fatal disease spread by rats, is a danger, but Katie is vaccinated against it twice a year. —Andy Newman, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2024

For Measles, herd immunity occurs when 95% of the population is vaccinated. —Omer Awan, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024

All pets available for adoption have been spayed or neutered, as well as vaccinated and microchipped, Brown said. —Ella McCarthy, Austin American-Statesman, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "to inoculate with fluid from a cowpox pustule," back-formation from vaccination; in later extended sense, in part borrowed from French vacciner, verbal derivative of vaccin vaccine

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

vaccinate

verb

vac·​ci·​nate ˈvak-sə-ˌnāt 

vaccinated; vaccinating

: to give a vaccine to usually by injection

vaccinator

-ˌnāt-ər 

noun

Medical Definition

vaccinate

1 of 2 verb

vac·​ci·​nate ˈvak-sə-ˌnāt 

vaccinated; vaccinating

transitive verb

1

: to inoculate (a person) with cowpox virus in order to produce immunity to smallpox

2

: to administer a vaccine to usually by injection

intransitive verb

: to perform or practice vaccination

vaccinate

2 of 2 noun

vac·​ci·​nate ˈvak-sə-ˌnāt  -nət 

: a vaccinated individual