Okuzeka
Medicine vocabulary · Prescriptions and Medication

Vaccine

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/vækˈsiːn/nounCore term

In medicine, vaccine means: A product that teaches the immune system to recognise and fight a particular infection, so that the person is protected before they meet it.

In Turkish: aşı

How it is used

Doctors talk about giving and having vaccines, being up to date with them, booster doses and the childhood vaccination schedule. 'Vaccination' and 'immunisation' (US immunization) describe the process. Patients say 'jab' (UK) or 'shot' (US).

Example sentences

  1. Is your son up to date with his vaccines?

  2. The flu vaccine is offered every autumn to people over 65.

Common collocations

  • flu vaccine
  • booster vaccine
  • have a vaccine
  • vaccine schedule
  • vaccine uptake
  • injectionA way of giving a medicine or vaccine through a needle into the body, for example into a muscle, under the skin or into a vein.
  • infectionAn illness caused when bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites enter the body and multiply.
  • screeningTesting people who have no symptoms in order to find a disease or risk early, when treatment is more likely to help.
  • primary careThe first point of contact with health services in the community, mainly general practitioners, practice nurses and community pharmacists.

More terms: Prescriptions and Medication

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.