vaccination

noun

vac·​ci·​na·​tion ˌvak-sə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the act of vaccinating

2

: the scar left by vaccinating

Examples of vaccination in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Already, the county has announced the closure of seven public health clinics that provided vaccinations and disease testing, largely because of funding losses tied to federal grant cuts. —Angela Hart, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026

Well, there's two sets of vaccinations. —March 8, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026

But vaccination rates in children have fallen as antivaccine sentiment has grown in the wake of the COVID pandemic, leading to a massive spike in measles outbreaks in the past year. —Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2026

Silky moms tend to favor hospital births and are more open to formula feeding and scheduled vaccinations. —Jana Pollack, Parents, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "inoculation with fluid from cowpox pustules," from vaccine "of cowpox" (in the phrases vaccine matter, vaccine virus) + -ation — more at vaccine

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing vaccination

• anti-vaccination

Rhymes for vaccination

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

vaccination

noun

vac·​ci·​na·​tion ˌvak-sə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the act of vaccinating

2

: the scar left by vaccinating

Medical Definition

vaccination

noun

vac·​ci·​na·​tion ˌvak-sə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the introduction into humans or domestic animals of microorganisms that have previously been treated to make them harmless for the purpose of inducing the development of immunity

oral vaccination

vaccination against smallpox

vaccination for whooping cough

2

: the scar left by vaccinating