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

Pakistan began a nationwide campaign Monday to vaccinate 24 million children against polio as part of efforts to eradicate the disease. — ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026

Health officials at Health Center 10 on Cottman Avenue stressed the importance of being vaccinated before holiday gatherings when respiratory viruses easily spread. — Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

The flu vaccine takes about two weeks for the immunity to build up, so now is an ideal time to consider getting vaccinated, doctors say. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 30 Oct. 2026

In some communities, the percentages of children who are vaccinated are far lower. — Jim Downs, STAT, 30 Oct. 2026

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