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

The new votes should not change the availability of hepatitis B vaccines, and insurers and officials have said that parents who want to get their children vaccinated against hepatitis B will still be able to do so at no cost. —Katherine Dillinger, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025

Doctors recommend getting vaccinated as soon as possible, keeping sick children home, and practicing good hygiene. —Kelly Werthmann, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2025

While the city’s website specifies that dogs and cats must be vaccinated for rabies and licensed with the city, its full animal ordinance seems to cast a wider net about licenses. —Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 16 Dec. 2025

The health division encourages people to confirm they are fully vaccinated against measles with two doses of the vaccine before traveling for vacation, the holidays or attending public events. —Christina Hall, Freep.com, 16 Dec. 2025

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