contagion
Americannoun
-
contagions
plural
-
the communication of disease by direct or indirect contact.
-
a disease so communicated.
-
the medium by which a contagious disease is transmitted.
-
harmful or undesirable contact or influence.
-
the ready transmission or spread as of an idea or emotion from person to person.
a contagion of fear.
noun
-
the transmission of disease from one person to another by direct or indirect contact
-
a contagious disease
-
another name for contagium
-
a corrupting or harmful influence that tends to spread; pollutant
-
the spreading of an emotional or mental state among a number of people
the contagion of mirth
-
The transmission of an infectious disease resulting from direct or indirect contact between individuals or animals.
-
A disease that is transmitted in this way.
-
The agent that causes a contagious disease, such as a bacterium or a virus.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of contagion
1350–1400; Middle English (< Middle French ) < Latin contāgiōn- (stem of contāgiō ) contact, infection, equivalent to con- con- + tāg- (variant stem of tangere to touch) + -iōn- -ion; cf. contact
Explanation
Have you ever noticed how when one person yawns, the people around him tend to do so as well? This phenomenon can be described as a contagion, the spreading of an emotional or mental state (in this case, fatigue). Contagion can apply not only to the spread of emotions but also to the spread of disease. If you’re feeling sick, you should stay home to reduce the risk of contagion. (Be sure to use the word contagion when you call in sick; it’s a great opportunity to impress people with your vocabulary.) Contagion is akin to the word contagious, an adjective describing things that spread from person to person, like certain diseases... and yawning.
Vocabulary lists containing contagion
"The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Common Senses: Tact, Tang ("Touch")
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Between Shades of Gray
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Trouble with its debt "could trigger contagion" across AI finance as a whole, he added.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
“Obviously there’s a contagion from the U.S.…people are looking at weakest links.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Thenceforth, animal diseases once thought inevitable due to bad air would be treated with medical measures and quarantines to avert contagion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
“But this is far from a structural contagion of any sort for the overall space economy.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026
And speaking of superior, he had worked through the contagion, and she had stayed home.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
Whether caused by geopolitical conflict, health contagions or extreme weather, supply-chain crises will likely be a permanent fixture of the economy until global supply chains build in greater resilience.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026
Long ties, which are created through randomly rewired edges that make them 'longer,' accelerate the spread of social contagions.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 23, 2024
The idea is that NTT's e-nose can be used not just to sniff out any contagions, but also how fresh - or not - a foodstuff is.
From BBC ● Nov. 22, 2023
Experts say the delay in rolling out vaccines to tackle highly infectious new variants added to the surge in contagions.
From Reuters ● Nov. 23, 2022
For nigh on two weeks, our clothes have seen neither water nor soap, and they are now considerably enstyed by the muck of the deck and the contagions of the air.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
