infectious disease

noun

: a disease (such as influenza, malaria, meningitis, rabies, or tetanus) caused by the entrance into the body of pathogenic agents or microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses, protozoans, or fungi) which grow and multiply there compare communicable disease, contagious disease

Examples of infectious disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Historically, major infectious disease threats have emerged about every two years on average. —Caitlin Rivers, WIRED, 27 Dec. 2024

Nielsen had just finished a research project on how the emerging infectious disease Zika was causing severe birth defects. —Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 27 Dec. 2024

As more people get exposed to this virus, infectious disease experts are also worried about the possibility of human-to-human transmission, which could trigger a pandemic. —Sara Moniuszko, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2024

Writing in The Times’ Opinion section this week, Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco, said the virus has mostly been kept at bay — but that could change. —Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

infectious disease

noun

: a disease caused by the presence, growth, and increase in numbers of germs in the body

Medical Definition

infectious disease

noun

: a disease (as influenza, malaria, meningitis, rabies, or tetanus) caused by the entrance into the body of pathogenic agents or microorganisms (as bacteria, viruses, protozoans, or fungi) which grow and multiply there compare communicable disease, contagious disease