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infectious disease

American  
[in-fek-shuhs di-zeez] / ɪnˈfɛk ʃəs dɪˈziz /

noun

  1. a disease caused by a bacterium, virus, or other microorganism, and often spreading by contact between individuals or by a vector such as an insect: ID

    Chicken pox and cholera are infectious diseases.


infectious disease Scientific  
  1. A disease caused by a microorganism or other agent, such as a bacterium, fungus, or virus, that enters the body of an organism.


Etymology

Origin of infectious disease

First recorded in 1570–80

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:

He was not a dietitian or an infectious disease physician.

From Science Daily Aug. 27, 2026

She donated yet another $1m to the hospital a few years later, this time to help paediatric infectious disease research.

From BBC Aug. 26, 2026

To quote infectious disease expert Jake Scott of Stanford Medicine, “every vaccine given at a baby’s two-month visit adds up to about half a teaspoon. A 20-ounce soda bottle is more than 200 times that.”

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 12, 2026

The initial release Monday included a very small sample size—fewer than a dozen texts—and marked the latest public scrutiny of Fauci’s tenure as the nation’s top infectious disease expert during the Covid pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 10, 2026

“As a veterinarian, I have certain responsibilities with regard to the transportation of dead animals, sir. I can’t just knowingly ship a dead animal with an infectious disease across state lines.”

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

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