- infectious
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a) Transmitted from one person to another, usually through the air breathed.
Cancer is not infectious.
b) Able to infect others.More infectious diseases like the flu are usually less potent.
Wikipedia foundation.
infectious
Look at other dictionaries:
infectious — 1 Infectious, contagious, communicable, catchingin their basic use as applied to diseases are distinguishable though closely similar in meaning. Infectious designates a disease resulting from the invasion of and multiplication in the body by… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Infectious — In*fec tious, a. [Cf. F. infectieux.] [1913 Webster] 1. Having qualities that may infect; communicable or caused by infection; pestilential; epidemic; as, an infectious fever; infectious clothing; infectious water; infectious vices. [1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
infectious — [adj] catching, spreading communicable, contagious, contaminating, corrupting, defiling, diseased, epidemic, infective, mephitic, miasmic, noxious, pestilent, pestilential, poisoning, polluting, toxic, transferable, transmittable, virulent,… … New thesaurus
infectious — [in fek′shəs] adj. 1. likely to cause infection; containing disease producing organisms or matter 2. designating a disease that can be communicated by INFECTION (sense 2) 3. tending to spread or to affect others; catching [an infectious laugh] 4 … English World dictionary
infectious — index contagious, harmful, pestilent Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
infectious — catching, having the quality of spreading from person to person, 1540s of diseases, 1610s of emotions, actions, etc.; see INFECT (Cf. infect) + OUS (Cf. ous) … Etymology dictionary
infectious — see contagious … Modern English usage
infectious — ► ADJECTIVE 1) (of a disease or disease causing organism) liable to be transmitted through the environment. 2) liable to spread infection. 3) likely to spread to or influence others. DERIVATIVES infectiously adverb infectiousness noun … English terms dictionary
infectious — in|fec|tious [ınˈfekʃəs] adj 1.) an infectious illness can be passed from one person to another, especially through the air you breathe ▪ infectious diseases ▪ Flu is highly infectious. 2.) someone who is infectious has an illness and could pass… … Dictionary of contemporary English
infectious — in|fec|tious [ ın fekʃəs ] adjective * 1. ) an infectious disease is one that can spread from one person to another: The condition is highly infectious. a ) used about a person or animal that has an infectious disease: The animals were still… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
infectious */ — UK [ɪnˈfekʃəs] / US adjective 1) a) an infectious disease is one that can spread from one person to another The condition is highly infectious. b) used about a person or animal that has an infectious disease The animals were still infectious when … English dictionary
