communicable disease

noun

plural communicable diseases

: an infectious disease (such as cholera, hepatitis, influenza, malaria, measles, or tuberculosis) that is transmissible by contact with infected individuals or their bodily discharges or fluids (such as respiratory droplets, blood, or semen), by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects, by ingestion of contaminated food or water, or by direct or indirect contact with disease vectors (such as mosquitoes, fleas, or mice)

Note: The terms communicable disease and contagious disease are often used interchangeably. However, communicable diseases such as malaria or schistosomiasis that are spread by contact with disease vectors are not typically considered to be "contagious" diseases since they cannot be spread from direct contact with another person.

Examples of communicable disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If current vaccination schedules are not adhered to, especially in children, a resurgence in all communicable diseases is likely. —Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025

After spending their day exposed to communicable diseases, these workers return to their homes in metro Phoenix. —Kunle Falayi, The Arizona Republic, 2 Oct. 2024

Although student loans held her back from immediately pursuing more schooling, Hayes has worked for the CDC Foundation as a communicable disease investigator and then the Wisconsin Department of Health Services as a Medicaid consultant. —Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 19 Dec. 2024

These restrictions, in place for four decades, didn’t end the associations of immigrants and disease, but these connections were overshadowed for a time by the fear of political contagion: communism became the new communicable disease. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for communicable disease

• abcs
• absentees
• addressees
• adoptees
• allottees
• amputees
• antifreeze
• appellees
• appointees
• arrestees
• artistes
• assamese

Medical Definition

communicable disease

noun

: an infectious disease (as cholera, hepatitis, influenza, malaria, measles, or tuberculosis) that is transmissible by contact with infected individuals or their bodily discharges or fluids (as respiratory droplets, blood, or semen), by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects, by ingestion of contaminated food or water, or by direct or indirect contact with disease vectors (as mosquitoes, fleas, or mice)

Note: The terms communicable disease and contagious disease are often used interchangeably. However, communicable diseases (as malaria or schistosomiasis) that are spread by contact with disease vectors are not typically considered to be "contagious" diseases since they cannot be spread from direct contact with another person.