communicable

American  

[kuh-myoo-ni-kuh-buhl] / kəˈmyu nɪ kə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of being easily communicated or transmitted.

   communicable information; a communicable disease.

2. talkative; communicative.

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communicable British  

/ kəˈmjuːnɪkəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being communicated

2. (of a disease or its causative agent) capable of being passed on readily

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communicable Scientific  

/ kə-myo̅o̅′nĭ-kə-bəl /

1. Capable of being transmitted from a person or animal to another person or animal, either through direct or indirect transmission, including insect or other vectors. Chickenpox is a communicable disease.

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Other Word Forms

• communicability noun
• communicableness noun
• communicably adverb

Etymology

Origin of communicable

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin commūnicābilis, equivalent to commūnicā ( re ) ( communicate ) + -bilis -ble

Example Sentences

More than 95 percent of all people have natural immunity to Hansen’s, which is only mildly communicable even to those with susceptibility, and since 1941, it has been entirely curable.

From Salon

The one good thing that came from that time was tons of data about what works to prevent communicable illnesses.

From The Wall Street Journal

But, he said, getting a cohort of unvaccinated children together puts them in danger of contracting communicable disease.

From Los Angeles Times

Such issues include communicable diseases, water management and renewable energy.

From Salon

It is a tragic irony that the current anger and frustration at public health stems from a communicable disease response — the basis for our original success.

From Salon