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

Even children vaccinated for varicella, such as those in the United States since 1995, still have dormant virus in their neurons, since the vaccine uses a live but weakened strain. — Andrew Bubak, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026

Earlier cases at the daycare were identified in children who were either unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 14 Sep. 2026

The first dose of measles vaccine is typically given to infants around 1 year old, meaning neither infant was old enough to be vaccinated. — Mead Gruver, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Health authorities said the case was identified in a person who had been vaccinated against the measles. — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 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