immune-suppressing
|im-mune-sup-press-ing|
🇺🇸
/ɪˈmjun səˈprɛsɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ɪˈmjuːn səˈprɛsɪŋ/
press down the immune system
Etymology
'immune-suppressing' originates from English as a compound of 'immune' + the present participle of 'suppress'. 'immune' ultimately comes from Latin 'immunis', where 'im-' (negative) + 'munis' meant 'obliged/dutiful' (so 'exempt'), and 'suppress' comes from Latin 'supprimere' (from 'sub-' meaning 'under' and 'primere' meaning 'to press').
'immune' passed from Latin 'immunis' into Medieval/Old French and then into Middle English as 'immune'. 'suppress' came into English via Old French (soupresser) from Latin 'supprimere' and developed into Middle English 'suppress' and Modern English 'suppress', with the present participle forming compounds like 'suppressing'. The modern compound 'immune-suppressing' is formed in contemporary English by combining these elements.
Initially, 'immune' meant 'exempt' or 'free from public duty' and 'suppress' originally meant 'to press down'; over time 'immune' came to relate to biological 'immunity' and 'suppress' evolved to mean 'restrain or inhibit', so the compound now means 'to inhibit the immune system'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
(related noun) The process or state of reduced immune function (immunosuppression) often caused by drugs, disease, or therapy.
Immune-suppressing treatments can lead to immunosuppression and increase the risk of opportunistic infections.
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Verb 1
used of related verbs: to suppress or reduce the activity of the immune system (see 'immunosuppress').
Immune-suppressing drugs may immunosuppress parts of the immune response to prevent organ rejection.
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Adjective 1
causing a reduction or suppression of the immune system's activity; tending to lower immune responses.
The new therapy has immune-suppressing effects that make patients more vulnerable to infection.
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Last updated: 2026/01/01 15:28