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

An early advocate for the theory that the Covid-19 virus was engineered in and leaked from a lab in China is no longer the leading choice to be America’s top infectious disease expert, a source with knowledge of the decision told STAT. — Anil Oza, STAT, 9 Oct. 2026

Earlier this week Russian officials reported that an employee at a laboratory at an infectious disease research institute in Irkutsk Oblast in Siberia, had contracted pneumonia and died. — Claire Maldarelli, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026

Rospotrebnadzor, the Russian agency that handles infectious disease, also denied reports of a second case of illness linked to the deceased worker following speculation in a small number of Western media outlets. — Zahra Ullah, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026

Anna Popova, the head of Russia's Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare, or the Rospotrebnadzor, which handles infectious disease, arrived at the research lab. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for infectious disease

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

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