contagion
Americannoun
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contagions
plural
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the communication of disease by direct or indirect contact.
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a disease so communicated.
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the medium by which a contagious disease is transmitted.
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harmful or undesirable contact or influence.
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the ready transmission or spread as of an idea or emotion from person to person.
a contagion of fear.
noun
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the transmission of disease from one person to another by direct or indirect contact
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a contagious disease
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another name for contagium
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a corrupting or harmful influence that tends to spread; pollutant
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the spreading of an emotional or mental state among a number of people
the contagion of mirth
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The transmission of an infectious disease resulting from direct or indirect contact between individuals or animals.
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A disease that is transmitted in this way.
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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
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Common Senses: Tact, Tang ("Touch")
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Between Shades of Gray
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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:
So far, there is little sign of contagion and the ECB may want to see fiscal consolidation in France first before stepping in, Macquarie adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
Like culinary dishes, market crashes require specific ingredients: overstretched valuations, high debt levels and cash shortfalls, high volatility, rising capital costs, contagion vectors and poor shock absorbers.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
She cautioned that "if tensions were to arise on that front, for example in the event of a change in interest rates or market sentiment, contagion effects could be set in motion".
From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026
But this time, it’s a contagion people can’t wait to get their hands on.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
The result is a kind of contagion of panic, and before long the men leading the zebras and llamas are struggling to maintain control.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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
After tuberculosis and COVID-19 cases, both highly infectious contagions, were confirmed there, Escobar said that employees told her not to enter a certain area because detainees had yet to be tested.
From Salon ● Feb. 20, 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
Slant continues his vigilant practices against its depredations; but other contagions have settled upon us in its wake.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
