A condition where your immune system mistakenly attacks and damages your own body's cells and tissues instead of protecting you from foreign invaders.
From Greek 'auto' (self) and Latin 'immunitas' (exemption). The medical term was formally introduced in the 1950s-60s as immunology advanced enough to understand self-directed immune responses.
About 5% of people have some form of autoimmunity, and it's three times more common in women—scientists still aren't entirely sure why. It's like your body's security system has a critical software bug.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.