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

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

From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026

“The burden of infectious disease around the world continues to be high and in many cases growing,” Skovronsky said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

In a throw-back to the Covid era, the outbreak has put infectious disease specialists, virologists and epidemiologists back into the news.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

In infectious disease settings, for instance, systems that detect infections are often designed to accept more false positives to avoid missing contagious individuals.

From Salon • May 12, 2026

If someone was gravely ill with an infectious disease such as TB, malaria, or typhoid, the patient would be sent to the clinic, Bon Sauveur, that he and Père Lafontant were building in Cange.

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