DEFINITIONS
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infective

[ in-fek-tiv ]
/ ɪnˈfɛk tɪv /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR infective ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

infectious.

Words related to infective

toxic, contagious, virulent, deadly, destructive, fatal, malignant, pernicious, noxious, dangerous, vicious, lethal, venomous, endemic, taking, pandemic, epidemic, bad, evil, poison

Words nearby infective

infectious laryngotracheitis, infectious mononucleosis, infectious papilloma virus, infectious polyneuritis, infectious warts virus, infective, infective embolism, infective endocarditis, infecund, infelicitous, infelicity

Origin of infective

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Medieval Latin word infectīvus. See infect, -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM infective

in·fec·tive·ness, in·fec·tiv·i·ty, nounun·in·fec·tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for infective

British Dictionary definitions for infective

infective
/ (ɪnˈfɛktɪv) /

adjective

capable of causing infection
a less common word for infectious

Derived forms of infective

infectively, adverbinfectiveness or infectivity, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for infective

infective
[ ĭn-fĕk′tĭv ]

adj.

Capable of producing infection; infectious.

Other words from infective

in•fec′tive•ness null n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.