contagion

noun

con·​ta·​gion kən-ˈtā-jən 

1

a

: a contagious disease

b

: the transmission of a disease by direct or indirect contact

c

: a disease-producing agent (such as a virus)

2

a

: poison

b

: contagious influence, quality, or nature

c

: corrupting influence or contact

3

a

: rapid communication of an influence (such as a doctrine or emotional state)

b

: an influence that spreads rapidly

Examples of contagion in a Sentence

a disease that spreads by contagion

People have been warned to keep out of the area to avoid contagion.

Recent Examples on the Web

And then there's like, the people who won't admit that some of this is social contagion, some of this is just a TikTok trend that got out of hand. —Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025

Investors may punish French stocks and bonds, which could lead to contagion in other areas of the EU where the euro currency is used because of the size of France's national public debt, about $3 trillion, according to the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. —Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 4 Dec. 2024

Andrew Ferguson: Malcolm Gladwell’s Talking to Strangers doesn’t say much Today, talking about social contagion without taking these forces into account would be preposterous. —Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 27 Sep. 2024

This time around, all those people are literally stuck, as a potential contagion sends the West Wing into lockdown. —Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contagioun, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French contagiun, borrowed from Latin contāgiōn, contāgiō "contact, contact resulting in disease, infection, pollution," from contag-, variant stem of contingere "to be in contact with, arrive at, affect, fall to one's lot" + -iōn-, -iō, suffix of action nouns formed from compound verbs — more at contingent entry 1

Note: The vowel length in contāgiō is unexpected and difficult to explain; a similarly lengthened vowel is found in other deverbal derivatives with -ag- as a second member (compāgēs "bond, joint," from pangere, ambāgēs "circuitous path," from agere; see agent, pact).

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

contagion

noun

con·​ta·​gion kən-ˈtā-jən 

1

: the passing of a disease from one individual to another by direct or indirect contact

2

: a contagious disease or something (as a virus) that causes a contagious disease

Medical Definition

contagion

noun

con·​ta·​gion kən-ˈtā-jən 

1

: the transmission of a disease by direct or indirect contact

2

: contagious disease

3

: a disease-producing agent (as a virus)