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

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

Vance twisted data about communicable diseases and the city’s murder rate. —Maria Ramirez Uribe and Amy Sherman, Journal Sentinel, 18 Dec. 2024

Most people in the country now have no memory of living with childhood communicable diseases, but not me. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 19 Nov. 2024

In addition to declaring a pet appears healthy and free of communicable diseases, these certificates also provide vaccination information. —Dr. Devon B. Smith, Baltimore Sun, 15 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

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.