immune-deficient
|im-mu-no-de-fi-cient|
🇺🇸
/ˌɪm.jəˌnoʊ.dɪˈfɪʃ.ənt/
🇬🇧
/ˌɪm.jʊ.nəʊ.dɪˈfɪʃ.ənt/
(immunodeficient)
weakened immune system
Etymology
'immune-deficient' (more commonly seen as 'immunodeficient') originates from Modern English as a compound of 'immune' + 'deficient'. 'Immune' ultimately comes from Latin 'immunis' meaning 'exempt, free (from)', and 'deficient' comes from Latin 'deficiens' (from 'deficere') meaning 'lacking, failing.'
'immune' entered English via Medieval/Modern Latin and French from Latin 'immunis'; 'deficient' comes from Latin 'deficere' > past participle 'deficiens', via Old French into Middle English. The medical compound 'immunodeficiency' and the adjective 'immunodeficient' developed in the 20th century with advances in immunology.
Individually, 'immune' originally meant 'exempt' and 'deficient' meant 'lacking' or 'failing'; combined in modern medical usage they specifically denote 'lacking adequate immune function.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having an immune system that is weaker than normal or unable to mount an adequate immune response (medical sense).
The patient was immune-deficient and required protective isolation to prevent infection.
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Adjective 2
describing a condition caused by congenital or acquired defects in the immune system (distinguishing congenital vs acquired causes).
Some syndromes leave children chronically immune-deficient from birth.
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Last updated: 2026/01/01 17:07