immunoactive
|im-mu-no-ac-tive|
🇺🇸
/ɪˌmjuːnoʊˈæktɪv/
🇬🇧
/ɪˌmjuːnəʊˈæktɪv/
activates or affects the immune system
Etymology
'immunoactive' is formed from the combining form 'immuno-' (from Latin/Neo‑Latin 'immunis' meaning 'exempt, protected') plus English 'active' (from Latin 'activus').
'immune' derives from Latin 'immunis' (Medieval/Neo‑Latin usage preserved the sense of being 'exempt' or 'protected'), which became English 'immune'; 'active' comes from Latin 'activus' via Old French/Latin influences. The compound 'immunoactive' arose in modern biomedical English (20th century) by combining the technical prefix 'immuno-' with 'active'.
Originally 'immunis' meant 'exempt' or 'free (from burden)'; over time 'immune' shifted to the sense of being 'resistant to disease' or 'protected by immunity'. 'Immunoactive' developed to mean 'having activity on the immune system' in contemporary biomedical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having an effect on, or capable of activating or modulating, the immune system; producing or inducing immune responses.
The experimental adjuvant included several immunoactive components that boosted antibody and T‑cell responses.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/21 01:13