contagious disease

noun

plural contagious diseases

: an infectious disease (such as influenza, measles, or tuberculosis) that is transmitted by contact with an infected individual or infected bodily discharges or fluids (such as respiratory droplets), by contact with a contaminated surface or object, or by ingestion of contaminated food or water

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

Examples of contagious disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The death followed an outbreak of the highly contagious disease in West Texas; a similar outbreak has been recorded in New Mexico and cases have surfaced in other states including California, New York, and Oklahoma. —Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2025

Sixteen counties reported that measles vaccination rates fell below herd immunity against one of the most contagious diseases. —Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025

See map of 70 cases But declining vaccination rates – primarily due to widespread misinformation about vaccines – has allowed the highly contagious disease, the symptoms of which include the telltale sign of a rash, to once again resurface. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025

For four years, the US has fallen short of the 95% threshold set by HHS to help prevent outbreaks of the highly contagious disease. —Nadia Kounang, CNN, 2 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for contagious disease

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

Medical Definition

contagious disease

noun

: an infectious disease (as influenza, measles, or tuberculosis) that is transmitted by contact with an infected individual or infected bodily discharges or fluids (as respiratory droplets), by contact with a contaminated surface or object, or by ingestion of contaminated food or water

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