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

This number should be zero or close to it if herd immunity existed, which refers to the protection conferred onto a community against a contagious disease when a certain percentage of the population becomes immune. —Omer Awan, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024

Babies are at high risk from the highly contagious disease. —Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024

Indoor cats are also less at risk from contagious diseases and parasites. —Rachael O'Connor, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024

The highly contagious disease all but wiped out cattle and their wild relatives, including Cape buffalo, Kerbis Peterhans said. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined above

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.