— premunitive /pree myooh"ni tiv/ , adj.
/pree'myooh nish"euhn/ , n.
Immunol. a state of balance between host and infectious agent, as a bacterium or parasite, such that the immune defense of the host is sufficient to resist further infection but insufficient to destroy the agent. Also called coinfectious immunity .
[ 1920-35; prémunition praemunition-, s. of praemunitio advance provisions for defense; see PRE-, MUNITION ]