Immunity
Protection from consequence — in medicine, from disease; in law, from prosecution. More often a veil for accountability and a shield for power.
How We Say It
i·myoo·ni·tee
Where It Comes From
Latin immunitas — exemption from public service or obligation. From in- (not) + munus (duty, service). Originally meant exemption from civic obligations. Medical use (protection from disease) developed in the 19th century. Legal use parallels the original Latin meaning.
How It's Been Used
Several distinct legal categories: sovereign immunity (governments generally cannot be sued), qualified immunity (protection for government officials acting in good faith), prosecutorial immunity, and witness immunity. The Supreme Court's 2024 ruling on presidential immunity — holding that former presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts — significantly expanded the concept in ways that remain actively debated.