contagious
[ kuh n-tey-juh s ]
/ kənˈteɪ dʒəs /
adjective
capable of being transmitted by bodily contact with an infected person or object: contagious diseases.
carrying or spreading a contagious disease.
tending to spread from person to person: contagious laughter.
Origin of contagious
synonym study for contagious
1.
Contagious,
infectious are usually distinguished in technical medical use.
Contagious, literally “communicable by contact,” describes a very easily transmitted disease as influenza or the common cold.
Infectious refers to a disease involving a microorganism that can be transmitted from one person to another only by a specific kind of contact; venereal diseases are usually infectious. In nontechnical senses,
contagious emphasizes the rapidity with which something spreads:
Contagious laughter ran through the hall.
Infectious suggests the pleasantly irresistible quality of something:
Her infectious good humor made her a popular guest.
OTHER WORDS FROM contagious
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH contagious
contagious infectious (see synonym study at the current entry)Words nearby contagious
Example sentences from the Web for contagious
British Dictionary definitions for contagious
contagious
/ (kənˈteɪdʒəs) /
adjective
(of a disease) capable of being passed on by direct contact with a diseased individual or by handling clothing, etc, contaminated with the causative agent
Compare infectious
(of an organism) harbouring or spreading the causative agent of a transmissible disease
causing or likely to cause the same reaction or emotion in several people; catching; infectious
her laughter was contagious
Derived forms of contagious
contagiously, adverb contagiousness, nounMedical definitions for contagious
contagious
[ kən-tā′jəs ]
adj.
Of or relating to contagion.
Transmissible by direct or indirect contact; communicable.
Capable of transmitting disease; carrying a disease.
Other words from contagious
con•ta′gious•ness n.Scientific definitions for contagious
contagious
[ kən-tā′jəs ]
Capable of being transmitted by direct or indirect contact, as an infectious disease.
Bearing contagion, as a person or animal with an infectious disease that is contagious.
Usage
A contagious disease is one that can be transmitted from one living being to another through direct or indirect contact. Thus the flu, which can be transmitted by coughing, and cholera, which is often acquired by drinking contaminated water, are contagious diseases. Although infectious is also used to refer to such diseases, it has a slightly different meaning in that it refers to diseases caused by infectious agents-agents such as viruses and bacteria that are not normally present in the body and can cause an infection. While the notion of contagiousness goes back to ancient times, the idea of infectious diseases is more modern, coming from the germ theory of disease, which was not proposed until the later nineteenth century. Contagious and infectious are also used to refer to people who have communicable diseases at a stage at which transmission to others is likely.