infectiousadj.
/ɪnˈfɛkʃəs/, U.S. /ᵻnˈfɛkʃəs/ I. In medical senses.† 2. Containing cases of or affected with a disease or infection; infected. Obsolete.
1. Originally: causing or spreading disease, esp. of an epidemic nature; of, relating to, or characterized by the spread of disease. In later use: spec. (capable of) causing or transmitting infection.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > insalubrity > [adjective]
evilc1000
unsete1387
pestilenta1398
pestilentiala1398
unhealfulc1400
unthendec1425
unsetyc1440
unwholesomec1455
ill1488
pestifere1490
contagious1495
infectious1534
pestiferous1538
unhealthsome1544
unkindlyc1570
deletery1576
deleterious1587
bad1589
unhealthful1598
unsound1598
unhealthy1600
sickly1604
deleterial1621
tetrous1637
insalubrious1638
unseasoned1638
cankered1645
healthless1650
insalutary1694
maliferous1727
insanous1742
unsalubrious1781
unsanitary1872
insanitary1874
devitalizing1875
antihygienic1876
unhygienic1883
unhealthy-looking1890
1534 T. Paynell tr. Moche Profitable Treat. against Pestilence sig. A.iv For from suche infected bodies commethe infectious and venemous fumes and vapours, the whiche do infecte and corrupte the aire.
?1566 J. Alday tr. P. Boaistuau Theatrum Mundi iii. sig. L.i The ayre that proceded out therof, was so infectious, that it first infected all the Region of Babilonia, and then proceded into Grecia.
1617 J. Woodall Surgions Mate 108 Succinum..is good..tofume a ship or house in time of infectious aires.
1665 R. Boyle Let. 30 Sept. in Corr. (2001) II. 543 There being severall examples of those who in infectious Times have fallen into Pestilentiall Feavers upon their having purgd or bled to prevent Them.
1742 W. Ellis London & Country Brewer I. (ed. 4) 75 In the Marshes of Kent and Essex, the Air..is generally so infectious, by Means of those low, veasy, boggy Grounds.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth I. 319 It would seem that the predominance of any one vapour..becomes infectious; and that we owe the salubrity of the air to the variety of its mixture.
1802 Med. Repository 5 204 (note) A typhous patient, removed from the filthy dwelling where the illness was contracted, stripped of infectious clothing, thoroughly washed and cleaned.., seldom or never communicates contagion to such as approach his bed.
1838 Penny Cycl. XII. 470/2 The infectious qualities of substances which cannot be conveniently washed.
1886 Med. News 9 Jan. 34/2 What we want of a disinfectant is to prevent infectious matter from resulting in disease.
1920 G. S. Hall Morale xv. 241 We study infectious germs or an epidemic in order to develop effective therapies and prophylaxes for them.
1959 P. P. Pirone Tree Maintenance (ed. 3) xvi. 346 The oak wilt fungus appears to be most infectious early in the growing season.
2010 Independent 1 Dec. 6/3 These high ‘viral loads’ make the person more infectious.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > production of disease > [adjective] > infectious > infected
diseasya1450
diseased1467
diseasely1532
infectious1542
infected1562
diseasefula1599
distainted1599
1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth xxvii. sig. L.iiiv The syckenes is taken with ye sauour of a mans clothes the whiche hath vysyted the infectious howse, for the infection wyl lye and hange longe in clothes.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1623) iv. i. 21 It comes ore my memorie, As doth the Rauen o're the infectious [1622 infected] house: Boading to all.
1618 S. Rowlands Sacred Memorie 41 Are there not ten infectious creatures cleane, Of whom this poore Samaria stranger, meane, Onely returns?
1727 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Oeconomique (Dublin ed.) at Canker Incorporate the whole together with Vinegar..and rubbing the infectious Place therewith, it will cure them.
3.
a. Of a disease: capable of spreading from one individual to another; occurring in epidemics; transmissible, communicable; spec. transmitted by indirect means, as by contaminated water or food, arthropod vectors, etc., rather than by close contact with an infected individual (cf. contagious adj. 2a). In later use also: caused by a microorganism or other biological agent.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > production of disease > [adjective] > infectious
contagiousc1374
infectivea1398
smitting?c1450
infected1480
infectuous1495
infecting1539
infectious1575
smittle1583
catching1594
contaminous1599
taking1608
communicative1741
malignant1822
contaminative1826
zymotic1842
smittling1845
infectant1855
autoinfective1874
catchy1884
toxo-infectious1907
postinfectious1913
1575 G. Turberville Bk. Faulconrie 229 This euill of the heade, is infectious, and will passe from one hawke to another, as the maungie doeth among Spanels, or any suche contagious disease.
1597 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet v. ii. 10 In this Cittie..Whereas the infectious pestilence remaind. View more context for this quotation
1610 Bp. J. Hall Common Apol. against Brownists xxiii. 61 Leprosie or plague..diseases, not more deadly then infectious.
1665 J. Gadbury London's Deliverance Predicted v. 25 The Plague..ought not to be deemed or esteemed..any more infectious, then are all other diseases, viz. Small Pocks, Scurvey, Pleuresie, [&c.].
1684 Bp. G. Burnet tr. T. More Utopia 93 That such of them as are sick of infectious Diseases, may be kept so far from the rest, that there can be no danger of Contagion.
1713 W. Cockburn Symptoms Gonorrhoea i. 2 It is infectious, and communicable by either of the Sexes to the other.
1790 R. Beatson Naval & Mil. Mem. II. 13 The fever was highly infectious, and swept off great numbers.
1827 Lancet 6 Jan. 434/2 Many people say that some colds are infectious.
1897 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. II. 252 Its virus is incapable of diffusion in the atmosphere, and..consequently it is contagious only and not infectious also.
1909 Westm. Gaz. 9 Dec. 2/1 He is..reminded of the doctrine of the etiology of infectious diseases before the advent of the microbiologic epoch.
1970 E. Kübler-Ross On Death & Dying (1973) i. 1 The use of chemotherapy, especially the antibiotics, has contributed to an ever decreasing number of fatalities in infectious diseases.
2008 Preventive Vet. Med. 87 64 It [sc. bluetongue virus] causes an infectious, non-contagious severe disease..among certain breeds of sheep.
b. Used for or in the care of patients with infectious diseases; of or relating to such care.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > production of disease > [adjective] > infectious > of or for infectious disease
infectious1824
1824 Gaols: Gloucester 105 in Parl. Papers (Accts. & Papers) XIX. 359 There are Hospital Wards for the Sick, Male and Female; a Convalescent Room, a Foul or Infectious Ward, and four Reception or Lazaretto Rooms.
1853 New-Orleans Med. & Surg. Jrnl. Mar. 678 They will soon fall upon the only sure remedy—the establishment of an Infectious Hospital out of the city limits, by which this class of diseases may be held in check.
1887 Pall Mall Gaz. 5 Oct. 9/1 Typhoid is prevalent..and several cases are now being treated at the infectious hospital.
1912 Dietetic & Hygienic Gaz. 28 243/1 Let every head-nurse in charge of the different wards be compelled to make it a routine practice to teach each probationer..just what it means to carry out ‘specific’ or ‘infectious precautions’.
1964 Proc. National Conf. Institutionally Acquired Infections U.S. Public Health Service Publ. No. 1188 51/1 One of these could be made available to the infectious department in an emergency, bringing the total of infectious beds to 100.
2003 U. Frank in A. C. Fluit & F.-J. Schmitz MRSA: Curr. Perspectives xii. 320 The SALT Strategy (Staphylococcus aureus Limitation Technique) with isolation precautions only for non-containable infections and ‘infectious precautions’ for colonized patients.
II. In extended use.† 5. Venomous; poisoned; poisonous. Obsolete.
4. Tending or liable to infect or contaminate character, morals, etc. Now rare.
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the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > corruption > [adjective] > making
corrupting1509
poisonful1520
infectivea1522
poisonous1555
infectious1574
seducing?1574
corruptful1596
depraving1606
corruptive1609
leavenous1649
poisonala1660
depravative1682
demoralizing1794
blotching1865
society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > degrading or impairing morally > [adjective] > corrupting > infecting
contagiousc1374
poisonful1520
infectivea1522
poisonous1555
infectious1574
poisonala1660
1574 G. Fenton tr. J. Talpin Forme Christian Pollicie i. i. 5 To flee couetousnes, as the nurse of infidelity, the mother of perdition, and lastly the infectious roote of al euils to such as folow it.
1589 J. Thorie tr. B. Filippe Counseller 36 The conuersation of the enuious is..contagious and infectious.
1606 S. Hieron Truths Purchase in Wks. (1620) I. 47 Dangerous and infectious bookes, which..are sparsed abroad into all parts.
1685 R. Baxter Paraphr. New Test. Matt. xviii. 15 To keep Christians from the snare and the shame of infectious and wicked Associates.
1702 L. Echard Gen. Eccl. Hist. Introd. 19 To be avoided in all Affairs of civil Society and commerce, as..Persons of an infectious Converse.
1743 E. Young Complaint: Night the Fifth 14 The World's infectious; few bring back at Eve Immaculate, the Manners of the Morn.
1836 O. Dewey Moral Importance of Cities 6 As well might you wall up the ocean,..as to build up any moral barrier against the infectious example of cities.
1865 J. Ruskin Sesame & Lilies i. 32 Owing to the spread of a shallow, blotching, blundering, infectious ‘information’, or rather deformation, everywhere.
1938 E. L. Higgins tr. E. de Mirecourt in French Revol. iii. 29 Elsewhere a flock of peddlers, unwatched by the police, disseminate in the country districts the infectious writings of Voltaire.
1995 S. K. Aburish Rise, Corruption & Coming Fall of House of Saud Pref. p. xvi The call for a return to Islamic ways—without the infectious corruption of the royals—is the only acceptable solution to most Saudis.
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the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > poison > [adjective]
atternc950
atteryc1000
venomousc1330
atteringc1400
poisonous1425
venenousc1425
malice1447
toxicatec1475
poisonable?a1505
empoisoning1526
venomful1544
poisonful1547
poisoning1561
infectious1585
poisonsome1590
banefula1593
poisony1605
toxical1607
aconic1623
mephitic1623
intoxicative1632
venefic1646
toxic1664
venene1665
venenose1673
virose1680
mephitical1704
venefical1716
septinous1875
virific1885
nocuous1890
biocidal1932
1585 R. Greene Planetomachia sig. C3v As the flie Pyralis cannot liue out of the flame, nor the bird Trochiles keepe from the infectious Crockedile.
1591 R. W. Martine Mar-Sixtus sig. E4 The late King Henry murthered with an infectious knife.
1592 R. Greene Philomela sig. Bv There is no Antidot so pretious but being tempered with Antimonie is infectious.
1658 J. Rowland tr. T. Moffett Theater of Insects in Topsell's Hist. Four-footed Beasts (rev. ed.) 909 On the trees..there growes a kinde of infectious honey. The which poyson being drank makes men stupid, and out of their wits.
6. Of an action, emotion, etc.: having the quality of spreading from one to another; easily communicable. Also (of a person): attractive, compelling.
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the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > effect produced on emotions > infectious quality of emotion > [adjective]
infective1593
catching1594
infectious1619
contagious1660
1619 F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Maides Trag. i. sig. B2v She carries with her an infectious griefe, That strikes all her beholders.
1700 J. Dryden Chaucer's Palamon & Arcite ii, in Fables 36 Through the bright Quire th' infectious Vertue ran. All dropp'd their Tears.
1792 M. Alcock Poems (1799) 28 Echo swift convey'd the infectious sound, And Liberty—no work—rebellow'd round.
1828 R. Whately Rhetoric in Encycl. Metrop. 300/1 Almost every one is aware of the infectious nature of any emotion excited in a large assembly.
1899 Nation (N.Y.) 12 Oct. 275/2 An infectious good humour and urbanity.
1922 Pacific Coast Jrnl. Nursing Apr. 206 It is a well known fact that a bad example is infectious.
1988 Rugby News Nov. 43/2 He's very infectious and the sort of guy people want to follow.
2009 S. Meekings Under Fishbone Clouds 179 Anger and indignation are infectious.
7. International Law. Of contraband, etc.: rendering the rest of a cargo or the ship liable to seizure. Cf. infect v. 2b. Now rare.
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society > law > administration of justice > general proceedings > legal seizure or recovery of property > [adjective] > confiscating to state > tainting with liability to
infectious1812
1812 J. Chitty Pract. Treat. Law of Nations (Amer. ed.) 126 It is a metaphorical maxim very frequently to be met in the cases upon these captures, that contraband is of an infectious nature, and contaminates the whole cargo.
1864 D. G. Farragut Let. 4 Nov. in Official Rec. Union & Confederate Navies War of Rebellion (U.S. Naval War Rec. Office) (1906) 1st Ser. II. 109 Contraband is further characterized by an eminent writer as infectious and capable of contaminating the whole cargo.
1918 Illinois Attorney General's Biennial Rep. 491 Contraband articles..are infectious, contaminating other articles belonging to the same owner.
1994 T. Lenfestey Facts on File Dict. Naut. Terms 228/1 Innocent goods seized on a vessel of a neutral nation when the vessel is found to be carrying contraband goods are considered to be contaminated and therefore of infectious nature and liable to confiscation.
Compounds
infectious hepatitis n. [after French hépatite infectieuse (1888 or earlier); compare German infektiöse Hepatitis (1892 (as infectiöse Hepatitis) or earlier)] hepatitis resulting from infection; (in later use) spec. hepatitis A or other viral hepatitis spread by contaminated water, food, etc.; an instance or type of such hepatitis.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > glandular disorders > [noun] > disorders of liver
hepatitis1699
liver rot1785
liver1805
gin liver1830
nutmeg liver1833
cirrhosis1839
Laennec's cirrhosis1839
gin drinker's liver1845
yellow atrophy1845
hobnailed liver1849
red atrophy1849
hobnail liver1882
fascioliasis1884
infectious hepatitis1891
distomatosis1892
distomiasis1892
hepatomegalia1893
infective hepatitis1896
spirit liver1896
hepatoma1905
hepatosplenomegalia1930
Pick's syndrome1932
serum hepatitis1943
Pick's syndrome1955
micronodular cirrhosis1960
macronodular cirrhosis1967
hep1975
1891 Med. Age 26 Oct. 612/1 We noticed about the portal spaces lesions exactly like those which Laure and Honorat describe as occurring in the infectious hepatitis which precedes cirrhosis.
1945 Amer. Jrnl. Med. Sci. 210 561 (heading) Homologous serum hepatitis and infectious (epidemic) hepatitis.
1970 R. Passmore & J. S. Robson Compan. Med. Stud. II. xviii. 117/1 Infectious hepatitis is usually spread by faecal contamination from a patient or convalescent carrier of the disease.
2002 C. T. S. Sibinga & R. Y. Dodd Transmissible Dis. & Blood Transfusion 5 Two types of hepatitis were recognized on epidemiological grounds and controversial, but groundbreaking studies by Krugman did show that the so-called ‘serum’ and ‘infectious’ hepatitides were caused by clearly separable infectious agents.
infectious mononucleosis n. mononucleosis resulting from an infection; spec. a disease occurring mainly in older children and young adults, characterized by the presence of atypical lymphocytes in the blood, with fever, malaise, sore throat, and enlargement of lymph nodes and often the spleen, and caused by infection with Epstein-Barr virus; also called glandular fever.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > glandular disorders > [noun] > diseases characterized by
glandular fever1725
adenosis1848
Addison's disease1856
Hodgkin's disease1865
Addisonism1906
adrenalism1910
renal infantilism1912
infectious mononucleosis1915
renal dwarfism1919
renal rickets1926
Sjögren's disease or syndrome1938
1915 W. A. Baetjer in Jrnl. Amer. Med. Assoc. 11 Sept. 948/2 The reports of a fair number of cases of infectious mononucleosis in the past few years has made me feel a little less sure about making an absolute diagnosis of lymphatic leukemia in such a case.
1920 T. P. Sprunt & F. A. Evans in Bull. Johns Hopkins Hosp. 31 410 (heading) Mononuclear leucocytosis in reaction to acute infections (‘infectious mononucleosis’).
1970 A. J. Zuckerman Virus Dis. Liver xiii. 149 Infectious mononucleosis is an endemic disease affecting principally adolescents and young adults.
2003 Here's Health Sept. 74/1 Also known as infectious mononucleosis, glandular fever is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, which persists in the patient for life.
infectious necrotic hepatitis n. Veterinary Medicine a form of acute clostridial toxaemia occurring esp. in sheep, characterized by severe depression of activity, hypothermia, and sudden death, and resulting from the growth of Clostridium novyi in necrotic areas of the liver, typically in association with liver fluke infestation; also called black disease.
ΚΠ
1927 H. E. Albiston in Austral. Jrnl. Exper. Biol. 4 113 The author encountered a condition which bore marked resemblances to Black Disease.., and for which the name Infectious Necrotic Hepatitis is proposed.
1953 Jrnl. Parasitol. 39 121 A further complication to sheep raising in flukey areas of some of the western states is ‘black disease’ or infectious necrotic hepatitis.
2009 M. C. Smith & D. M. Sherman Goat Med. (ed. 2) xi. 516/2 In sheep, infectious necrotic hepatitis, or black disease, is a common complication of fascioliasis.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1534