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.

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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.

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Etymology

Origin of infectious disease

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

infectious disease

He was not a dietitian or an infectious disease physician.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 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

UK holidaymakers are being warned about a nasty infectious disease called cyclosporiasis that can cause explosive diarrhoea, after a sharp rise in cases.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

These included initiatives addressing pandemic preparedness and outbreak response, health security, and infectious disease treatment.

From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2026

Both involved quarantines—the practice of isolating someone with a highly infectious disease from the healthy population.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French