Definition: "Passive immunity" is a type of immunity that a person gets from another source rather than producing it themselves. This can happen naturally, like when a mother passes antibodies to her unborn baby through the placenta, or artificially, like when someone receives an injection containing antibodies to help fight off a disease.
"Passive immunity" is a noun. You can use it when talking about how the body can defend itself from diseases. It is often discussed in medical or health contexts.
In advanced discussions, you might explore how passive immunity differs from active immunity, which is when the body produces its own antibodies after exposure to a disease. Passive immunity is temporary, lasting only a few weeks or months, while active immunity can last for years or even a lifetime.
In a general context, "passive" can mean not actively participating. In "passive immunity," it means that the immunity is received rather than created by the body.
There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs that directly relate to "passive immunity." However, you might hear phrases like: - "Take a back seat" (to be passive or not involved) - "Inject life into" (to make something more energetic, used metaphorically but not directly related to immunity)
To summarize, "passive immunity" is a temporary form of immunity received from another source, either naturally or artificially.