Words / B1

i-MYOON/ɪˈmjuːn/

Immune is protected against a disease: immune to measles; the immune system. It also means not affected: immune to criticism. Immunity is the noun (diplomatic immunity is a news sense). Resistant is close for drugs and pests. Do not write “immune from a cold” for ordinary health — doctors say you can still catch it. Immune to is the usual pattern, not immune from, except in a few legal phrases.

Meaning

Protected against a disease; also not affected by something (immune to).

Examples

• “After the vaccine, more people were immune to measles.”
• “Most children are immune to measles after two doses of vaccine.”
• “He seemed immune to the pressure of live radio, which is the “not affected” sense.”

Good to know

immune to + disease / criticism. Noun: immunity. Body: immune system. Pattern: immune to, not usually from.

Near in meaning

resistant

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