contagium

American  

[kuhn-tey-juhm, -jee-uhm] / kənˈteɪ dʒəm, -dʒi əm /

noun

Pathology.

contagia plural

1. the causative agent of a contagious or infectious disease, as a virus.

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contagium British  

/ kənˈteɪdʒɪəm /

noun

1. pathol the specific virus or other direct cause of any infectious disease

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Etymology

Origin of contagium

1645–55; < Latin, equivalent to contāg- ( see contagion) + -ium -ium

Example Sentences

With bacteriology gaining ground, some scientists posited a germlike contagium psychicum—a microbe of the mind—as the vector behind so-called "mental contagion."

From Slate • Apr. 7, 2010

There was no single escape from death after inoculation by this deadly contagium.

From Fragments of science, V. 1-2 by Tyndall, John

He also made some remarkable experiments on the permanence of the contagium in the form of spores.

From Fragments of science, V. 1-2 by Tyndall, John

Again, I think Professor Virchow's position, in regard to the question of contagium animatum, is not altogether that of true philosophy.

From Fragments of science, V. 1-2 by Tyndall, John

Drying the infectious blood containing the rod-like organisms, in which, however, the spores were not developed, he found the contagium to be that which Dr. Sanderson calls 'fugitive.'

From Fragments of science, V. 1-2 by Tyndall, John