Definition

A type of immunity that occurs when a person has a low-level infection from a pathogen, which helps protect them from more severe infections by the same pathogen in the future.

Example

The patient showed signs of premunition, as they had a mild infection that seemed to protect them from a more serious illness.

Conversation

Did you know that people can have a premunition against certain diseases?

Really? I had no idea how that worked.

Yeah, it's like having some level of protection because of a past infection.

That makes sense! It's fascinating how our bodies adapt like that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Premunition is formed from "pre-" (meaning before) and "munire" (meaning to fortify or defend). The word refers to a legal term that indicates a warning or precaution taken before an event, particularly in legal contexts.

Memory Tip

Think of taking precautions 'before' ('pre-') to 'fortify' ('munire') yourself against something — that's what premunition means.

Visually Confused Words