# herd immunity

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈhəːd ɪˈmjuːnɪti/

## Definitions
1. The indirect protection against the spread of a contagious disease in a given population caused by the immunity of a significant proportion of the population to that particular disease; the immunity may have been obtained through having survived the infection or through vaccination.

## Etymology
From herd + immunity, first identified in herds of cattle.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/herd-immunity