adjuvant

adjective

Save Word

ad·ju·vant | \ ˈa-jə-vənt

Definition of adjuvant

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : serving to aid or contribute : auxiliary

2 : enhancing the effectiveness of medical treatment Retinoids also seem to be useful as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of psoriasis, and they may induce regression of premalignant lesions, including actinic keratoses.— Robert S. Stern specifically : of, relating to, or being treatment administered following primary cancer treatment to enhance the outcome of primary treatment adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery … women who choose this extensive surgery live no longer than women who choose lumpectomy (with or without adjuvant radiation) and frequent check-ups — Susan S. Weed — compare neoadjuvant

adjuvant

noun

Definition of adjuvant (Entry 2 of 2)

: one that helps or facilitates: such as

a : an ingredient (as in a prescription or a solution) that modifies the action of the principal ingredient

b : something (such as a drug or method) that enhances the effectiveness of medical treatment used chemotherapy as an adjuvant to surgery

c : a substance (such as one added to a vaccine) enhancing the immune response to an antigen

Did you know? More Example Sentences Learn More About adjuvant

Did you know?

Adjective

Things that are adjuvant rarely get top billing—they're the supporting players, not the stars. But that doesn't mean they're not important. An adjuvant medicine, for example, can have a powerful healing effect when teamed up with another medicine or curative treatment. Adjuvant descends from the Latin verb adjuvare ("to aid"), which also gave English the nouns coadjutor ("assistant") and aid. These days, adjuvant tends to turn up most often in medical contexts, but it can also be used in the general sense of "serving to aid." Likewise, the noun adjuvant can mean "a drug or method that enhances the effectiveness of medical treatment" or simply "one that helps or facilitates."

Examples of adjuvant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Recognizing the need for a comprehensive strategy, the funding is going to multidisciplinary groups with expertise in virology and immunology, immunogen design, and innovative vaccine and adjuvant platforms and technologies. — Laura Defrancesco, Scientific American, 6 Jan. 2022 An adjuvant component for the vaccine is required and provided by Novavax, a biotechnology company in the US and Sweden. — Adrian Hill, Quartz, 25 Apr. 2021 The British pharmaceutical giant opted to partner with a number of companies using its adjuvant technology in the creation of a vaccine. — Fortune, 12 Mar. 2021 GlaxoSmithKline, which makes vaccines against shingles, hepatitis, meningitis and many childhood illnesses, has focused its COVID-19 efforts on combining its adjuvant technology with rival companies’ vaccines. — BostonGlobe.com, 2 Mar. 2021 GlaxoSmithKline, which makes vaccines against shingles, hepatitis, meningitis and many childhood illnesses, has focused its COVID-19 efforts on combining its adjuvant technology with rival companies’ vaccines. — Zeke Miller And Linda A. Johnson, chicagotribune.com, 2 Mar. 2021 GlaxoSmithKline, which makes vaccines against shingles, hepatitis, meningitis and many childhood illnesses, has focused its COVID-19 efforts on combining its adjuvant technology with rival companies’ vaccines. — Time, 2 Mar. 2021 GlaxoSmithKline, which makes vaccines against shingles, hepatitis, meningitis and many childhood illnesses, has focused its COVID-19 efforts on combining its adjuvant technology with rival companies' vaccines. — Zeke Miller, Star Tribune, 2 Mar. 2021 GlaxoSmithKline, which makes vaccines against shingles, hepatitis, meningitis and many childhood illnesses, has focused its COVID-19 efforts on combining its adjuvant technology with rival companies’ vaccines. — Zeke Miller, Linda A. Johnson And Jonathan Lemire, Chron, 2 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The product also relies on recombinant protein technology that Sanofi uses to make flu vaccines and an adjuvant from Glaxo to enhance the immune response. — Fortune, 23 Feb. 2022 The vaccine also uses GlaxoSmithKline Plc’s pandemic adjuvant, a substance that boosts the immune system’s response. — Corinne Gretler, Fortune, 17 Mar. 2022 Trying to enhance the vaccine with an extra ingredient, called an adjuvant, inflamed the nasal mucosa and led to Bell’s palsy in some people. — Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2022 After isolating the virus spike protein from the yeast and adding an adjuvant, which helps trigger an immune response, the vaccine was ready for use. — Maureen Ferran, The Conversation, 19 Jan. 2022 Other than VLPs, Medicago's vaccine has one other key component: an adjuvant made by GlaxoSmithKline. — Grace Wade, Health.com, 9 Dec. 2021 The vaccine is paired with GSK’s proprietary adjuvant. — Helen Branswell, STAT, 1 Oct. 2021 Johnston said the lipid nanoparticles not only help deliver the drug but also act as an adjuvant, a substance that helps strengthen a drug’s effect. — NBC News, 1 Dec. 2021 The vaccine also includes a new adjuvant — meant to boost the effect on the immune system — that was developed by the National Institutes of Health. — Lindsay Schnell, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'adjuvant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for adjuvant

Adjective

borrowed from Latin adjuvant-, adjuvans, present participle of adjuvāre "to help, aid, facilitate" — more at aid entry 1

Noun

borrowed from Medieval Latin adjuvant-, adjuvans, going back to Latin, present participle of adjuvāre "to help, aid, facilitate" — more at aid entry 1

Learn More About adjuvant

Listen to Our Podcast About adjuvant

Dictionary Entries Near adjuvant

adjuvancy

adjuvant

ad kalendas Graecas

Statistics for adjuvant

Cite this Entry

“Adjuvant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adjuvant. Accessed 19 May. 2022.

Style: MLA

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster Check Mark Icon

More Definitions for adjuvant

adjuvant

adjective

ad·ju·vant | \ ˈaj-ə-vənt

Medical Definition of adjuvant

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : serving to aid or contribute

2 : assisting in the prevention, amelioration, or cure of disease adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery

adjuvant

noun

Medical Definition of adjuvant (Entry 2 of 2)

: one that helps or facilitates: as

a : an ingredient (as in a prescription or solution) that facilitates or modifies the action of the principal ingredient the beneficial activity of the spray is enhanced by adjuvants

b : something (as a drug or method) that enhances the effectiveness of a medical treatment used chemotherapy as an adjuvant to surgery

c : a substance enhancing the immune response to an antigen