Chloe Ramirez
In May 2021, Merriam-Webster updated its definition of vaccine from a preparation of killed microorganisms, living attenuated organisms, or living fully virulent organisms that is administered to produce or artificially increase immunity to a particular disease to a preparation that is administered (as by injection) to stimulate the body's immune response against a specific infectious agent or disease. This change sparked controversy, with some claiming that the new definition was implemented to cover up the fact that COVID-19 vaccines do not provide immunity. However, Merriam-Webster stated that the change was made to provide a more scientifically accurate description of how vaccines work and to reflect the new technology of mRNA vaccines.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Did Merriam-Webster change the definition of "vaccine" | No, it was rephrased |
| Was the portion alluding to "immunity" removed | No, it was reworded |
| Date of change | January 26, 2021 |
| Reason for change | To be scientifically accurate about how vaccines work |
| Definition before change | A preparation of killed microorganisms, living attenuated organisms, or living fully virulent organisms that is administered to produce or artificially increase immunity to a particular disease |
| Definition after change | A preparation that is administered (as by injection) to stimulate the body's immune response against a specific infectious agent or disease |
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What You'll Learn
The definition of 'vaccine' was updated, not removed
Merriam-Webster, the company known for its reference books and dictionaries, has been at the centre of controversy regarding an alleged change in the definition of the word "vaccine". The definition was updated in May 2021, with the new definition being: "a preparation that is administered (as by injection) to stimulate the body's immune response against a specific infectious agent or disease".
The previous definition, as found in online archives, was: "a preparation of killed microorganisms, living attenuated organisms, or living fully virulent organisms that is administered to produce or artificially increase immunity to a particular disease." The editors replaced the phrase "artificially increase immunity" with "stimulate the body's immune response" to provide a more detailed description of how vaccines work.
The change also addresses the new technology of mRNA vaccines in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Merriam-Webster, the goal was to be scientifically accurate about how vaccines work, not to question their effectiveness. The company stated that it includes and revises the definitions of certain words based on their usage in culture and relies on citational evidence to develop its definitions.
While the definition of "vaccine" has indeed evolved, it is important to note that the portion alluding to immunity was not entirely removed. Instead, it was reworded to provide a more scientifically accurate explanation of the immune response stimulated by vaccines. This clarification is crucial, as it highlights that the definition was updated to enhance understanding, not to exclude the concept of immunity.
In conclusion, while it is true that Merriam-Webster updated the definition of "vaccine," the claim that they removed the mention of "immunity" is misleading. The definition was revised to provide a more detailed and scientifically accurate description of how vaccines function, with the inclusion of "immune response" serving as a more precise term to explain the complex biological processes involved in vaccination.
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The change was made to be scientifically accurate
Merriam-Webster, the company known for its reference books and dictionaries, has been at the centre of controversy regarding an alleged change in the definition of the word "vaccine". Several social media posts claimed that the company altered the definition to remove any mention of "immunity" in the context of COVID-19 vaccines. However, fact-checking revealed that while Merriam-Webster did update the definition, the portion alluding to immunity was not entirely removed but rather reworded to be more scientifically accurate.
The previous definition of "vaccine", as per archived records, was "a preparation of killed microorganisms, living attenuated organisms, or living fully virulent organisms that is administered to produce or artificially increase immunity to a particular disease." This definition included the concept of \"immunity", which refers to a specific ability or state of the body's defence mechanism.
The updated definition, published in May, states: "a preparation that is administered (as by injection) to stimulate the body's immune response against a specific infectious agent or disease." The key change here is the replacement of "artificially increase immunity" with "stimulate the body's immune response." This revision provides a more detailed and scientifically accurate description of how vaccines work, particularly in the context of the new mRNA vaccine technology.
Peter Sokolowski, the editor-at-large for Merriam-Webster, confirmed that the definition was updated to better describe how vaccines function. He stated, "Merriam-Webster adds definitions and evolves existing ones to accurately report on how words are used." In this case, the definition was updated to be more specific, scientific and complete. This aligns with the company's approach to dictionary definitions, where they aim to reflect the natural variation in language and provide authoritative yet impartial references.
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The definition of 'anti-vaxxer' was not changed
Merriam-Webster is an American publisher that is well-known for its dictionaries. In November 2021, the company became the centre of an online controversy regarding its definition of the word "vaccine". A Facebook post from November 4, 2021, claimed that Merriam-Webster had changed its definition of "vaccine" to exclude any mention of "immunity". The post read:
> Vaccine used to be defined as a substance that provides 'immunity' to a specific disease. Now, Merriam Webster has literally changed the definition of 'vaccine' and removed the 'immunity' portion in order to possibly cover for the fact that the Covid 'vaccines' don't actually provide immunity from Covid.
This claim was quickly picked up by other social media users, who alleged that Merriam-Webster had also changed the definition of "anti-vaxxer" to include those who oppose mandatory vaccination. However, these claims are false. Merriam-Webster did update its definition of "vaccine", but it did not remove the portion alluding to immunity; it was reworded. The new definition, published in May, reads:
> a preparation that is administered – as by injection – to stimulate the body's immune response against a specific infectious agent or disease.
The editors changed "artificially increase immunity" to "stimulate the body's immune response" to provide a more detailed and scientifically accurate description of how vaccines work. This change also addresses the new technology of mRNA vaccines in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As for the definition of "anti-vaxxer", it has not been changed since it was first added to the dictionary in February 2018. Archived pages of the entry from 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 all show the same definition as the current one: "a person who opposes vaccination or laws that mandate vaccination."
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The definition of 'vaccine' was changed to address new vaccine technology
Merriam-Webster, the company known for its reference books and dictionaries, has been at the centre of controversy regarding an alleged change in the definition of the word "vaccine". The controversy arose from a social media post that went viral, claiming that the publisher had altered the definition to exclude the term "immunity". The post suggested that this change was made to cover up the fact that COVID-19 vaccines do not provide immunity from the virus.
However, fact-checking sources have confirmed that while Merriam-Webster did update the definition of "vaccine", the portion alluding to immunity was not removed but rather reworded. The new definition, published in May, states: "a preparation that is administered (as by injection) to stimulate the body's immune response against a specific infectious agent or disease." This change was made to address the new technology of mRNA vaccines, widely released during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide a more scientifically accurate description of how vaccines work.
The previous definition, found in online archives, defined a vaccine as "a preparation of killed microorganisms, living attenuated organisms, or living fully virulent organisms that is administered to produce or artificially increase immunity to a particular disease." The editors at Merriam-Webster decided to replace the phrase "artificially increase immunity" with "stimulate the body's immune response," as the latter was considered more helpful to readers and scientifically precise.
This decision aligns with Merriam-Webster's stated approach to dictionary definitions. The company has affirmed that it includes and revises definitions based on a word's usage in culture, aiming to reflect the natural variation and evolution of language. By relying on citational evidence, Merriam-Webster strives to offer authoritative yet dispassionate information about modern English. In the case of the "vaccine" definition, the change was made to provide a more detailed and scientifically accurate explanation of vaccine functionality, particularly regarding mRNA vaccines.
In conclusion, while it is true that Merriam-Webster altered the definition of "vaccine," the change was not an attempt to exclude the concept of immunity. Instead, the new definition seeks to address new vaccine technology and provide readers with a more specific, scientific understanding of how vaccines function to protect against diseases.
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The definition was updated to reflect a word's usage in culture
Merriam-Webster, the company known for its reference books and dictionaries, has been at the centre of controversy regarding an alleged change in the definition of the word "vaccine". Several social media users have claimed that the company altered the definition to remove any mention of "immunity". However, fact-checking websites have revealed that while Merriam-Webster did update the definition, the portion alluding to immunity was not removed but rather reworded to "stimulate the body's immune response".
The previous definition of "vaccine", as per archived records, was "a preparation of killed microorganisms, living attenuated organisms, or living fully virulent organisms that is administered to produce or artificially increase immunity to a particular disease." The new definition, published in May, states: "a preparation that is administered (as by injection) to stimulate the body's immune response against a specific infectious agent or disease."
The editors of Merriam-Webster's dictionary explained that the change was made to provide a more detailed and scientifically accurate description of how vaccines work. The new definition includes a link to the definition of "immune response", which clarifies the actions occurring in the body that lead to increased immunity. This change also addresses the new technology of mRNA vaccines, which were widely released during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peter Sokolowski, the editor-at-large for Merriam-Webster, affirmed that the company routinely updates and evolves definitions to accurately reflect how words are used in modern culture. He stated, "Merriam-Webster adds definitions and evolves existing ones to accurately report on how words are used...In this case, the definition was updated...to better describe how vaccines work." Merriam-Webster's stance on definition changes is aligned with their belief that "change and variation are as natural in language as they are in other areas of human life."
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Merriam-Webster did change the definition of "vaccine" in May 2021.
No, they did not. The mention of "immunity" was reworded to "stimulate the body's immune response".
The change was made to be scientifically accurate about how vaccines work, not to question their effectiveness.
