immunology

IPA/ˌɪmjəˈnɒlədʒi/
KK[ˌɪmjunˈɑlədʒi]IPA/ˌɪmjəˈnɑːlədʒi/

immunology — noun

1. the branch of biology that investigates how organisms defend themselves against

1.nounB2
Definition

the branch of biology that investigates how organisms defend themselves against infections, allergens, and other harmful agents

Example

Sivan decided to specialize in immunology after her mother recovered from a serious autoimmune illness.

collocation: specialize in + academic discipline

The university's immunology department received a large grant for cancer vaccine research.

Common collocations
  • specialize in immunology
  • study immunology
  • professor of immunology
  • immunology research
  • advances in immunology
  • department of immunology

Grammar Patterns

uncountable noun

Usage Note

Typically uncountable; used with singular verbs. Commonly appears as a modifier before nouns such as 'department', 'research', 'textbook', or 'course'. Not to be confused with 'immune system', which is the biological system itself rather than the field that studies it.

Common Mistakes

After the infection, my immunology became very weak.
After the infection, my immune system became very weak.
immunology is the academic study of immune responses, not the immune system itself.

Word family

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • advances in ~
  • the field of ~
  • specialize in ~

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word immunology combines 'immune' (from Latin 'immunis', meaning 'free from duty' or 'exempt', which later came to refer to the body being protected from illness) with '-logy' (from Greek 'logia', meaning 'the study of'). The term emerged in the late 19th century as scientists began to understand how the body resists infection.