immunostimulant
|im-mu-no-stim-u-lant|
🇺🇸
/ɪˌmjuːnoʊˈstɪmjələnt/
🇬🇧
/ɪˌmjuːnəʊˈstɪmjʊlənt/
boosts the immune system
Etymology
'immunostimulant' originates from the combining form 'immuno-' (from Latin 'immunis' meaning 'exempt') plus 'stimulant' (from Latin 'stimulans', present participle of 'stimulare', meaning 'urging, inciting').
'stimulant' comes from Latin 'stimulans' (from 'stimulare', 'to urge' or 'to incite'), passed into Old French (estimulant) and later into English as 'stimulant'. The prefix 'immuno-' is built from Latin 'immunis' and was adopted in New/Scientific Latin to form compounds (e.g., immunology). These elements were combined in modern medical English to form 'immunostimulant'.
The components originally meant 'exempt' (immuno-) and 'to urge/incite' (stimulant); combined in modern usage they denote 'an agent that stimulates the immune system'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a substance or agent that stimulates or enhances the activity of the immune system.
The vaccine includes an immunostimulant to boost the body's defenses.
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Adjective 1
having the property of stimulating the immune system; immunostimulatory.
An immunostimulant effect was observed after the treatment.
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Last updated: 2026/01/01 15:20