immune

Etymology

From Middle French immun, from Latin immūnis (“exempt from public service”), from in- (“not”) + mūnus (“service”)

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ɪˈmjuːn/
• Rhymes: -uːn

Adjective

immune (comparative more immune, superlative most immune)

1. (usually with "from") Exempt; not subject to.
   • 1922, Michael Arlen, “2/9/1”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days‎:

     He had always been remarkably immune from such little ailments, and had only once in his life been ill, of a vicious pneumonia long ago at school. He hadn't the faintest idea what to with a cold in the head, he just took quinine and continued to blow his nose.

   As a diplomat, you are immune from prosecution.

2. (medicine, usually with "to") Protected by inoculation, or due to innate resistance to pathogens.

   I am immune to chicken pox.

3. (by extension) Not vulnerable.

   Alas, he was immune to my charms.

4. (medicine) Of or pertaining to the immune system.
   • 2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:

     Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.

   We examined the patient's immune response.

Noun

immune (plural immunes)

1. (epidemiology) A person who is not susceptible to infection by a particular disease
   • 1965, Rene J. Dubos & James G. Hirsch, editors, Bacterial and Mycotic Infections of Man‎, page 742:

     Susceptibles effectively exposed to cases become cases in the next time period; cases recovering from the infection accumulate as immunes.

Verb

immune (third-person singular simple present immunes, present participle immuning, simple past and past participle immuned)

1. (rare, transitive) To make immune.
   • Thomas Hardy

     In the seventies those who met me did not know / Of the vision / That immuned me from the chillings of mis-prision […]

   • 1905, American Veterinary Medical Association, Journal (volume 29, page 42)

     The utilization of such milk will, however, necessitate an adaptable milk preservation method, through which the immuning agents will not be destroyed or diminished.

Etymology

From Latin immūnis (“exempt from public service”).

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /imˈmu.nə/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /imˈmu.ne/

Adjective

immune (masculine and feminine plural immunes)

1. immune

Further reading

• “immune” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Adjective

immune

1. inflected form of immun

Etymology

From Latin immūnis (“exempt from public service”).

Adjective

immune (masculine and feminine plural immuni)

1. immune, exempt, free, unscathed

   Synonyms: esente, libero

Adjective

immūne

1. nominative neuter singular of immūnis
2. accusative neuter singular of immūnis
3. vocative neuter singular of immūnis