contagious Hear it!

contagious Definition

con·ta·gious (-jəs)

adjective

  1. spread by direct or indirect contact; communicable: said of diseases
  2. carrying, or liable to transmit, the causative agent of a contagious disease
  3. for the care of contagious patients
  4. spreading or tending to spread from person to person contagious laughter

Etymology: OFr contagieus < LL contagiosus

contagious Related Forms

con·ta·giously adverb con·ta·gious·ness noun

contagious Synonyms

contagious

modif.

contagious Usage Examples

Preposition: among

bird: Avian flu viruses circulate among birds worldwide and are highly contagious among birds.

Modifies a noun

  • pleuropneumonia: UK: ( 1999 ) MRI to co-ordinate international research campaign on contagious bovine pleuropneumonia ( CBPP ).
  • ecthyma: This fact sheet provides information on the causes, treatments and means of prevention for contagious ecthyma.
  • mastitis: Maintain minimum levels of contagious mastitis in your herd.
  • disease: An x-ray machine to screen for contagious diseases arrived just last Thursday.
  • dermatitis: The occurrence in humans of contagious pustular dermatitis of sheep ( orf ).
  • pathogen: The dipping practice was first introduced to prevent the spread of contagious pathogens during milking.

Modifying Another Word

  • highly: Your good mood will be highly contagious, others will respond.
  • extremely: Well cholera is extremely contagious, hence the quarantine.
  • very: I was just playing this soft blues which is very contagious, catchy.
  • so: Some of you perhaps understand better than I do why the initial infection proved to be so contagious.
  • not: Get out there, be a part of life; we're not contagious, you know!
  • mildly: Mildly Contagious Prolonged close contact with the carrier will allow the disease to transfer.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: They do not dare to be free lest the spirit of liberty become contagious.
  • prove: Kirkus Dawkins's enthusiasm for the diversity of life on this planet should prove contagious.
  • remain: It is only removed upon the curing of a victim, therefore dead victims are still likely to remain contagious in some way.