A disease that is contagious can be caught by touching people or things that are infected with it. Compare infectious.
...a highly contagious disease of the lungs.
2. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
A feeling or attitude that is contagious spreads quickly among a group of people.
Laughing is contagious.
Antonio has a contagious enthusiasm for the beautiful aspect of food.
More Synonyms of contagious
contagious in British English
(kənˈteɪdʒəs)
adjective
1.
(of a disease) capable of being passed on by direct contact with a diseased individual or by handling clothing, etc, contaminated with the causative agent
Compare infectious
2.
(of an organism) harbouring or spreading the causative agent of a transmissible disease
3.
causing or likely to cause the same reaction or emotion in several people; catching; infectious
her laughter was contagious
Derived forms
contagiously (conˈtagiously)
adverb
contagiousness (conˈtagiousness)
noun
contagious in American English
(kənˈteɪdʒəs)
adjective
1.
spread by direct or indirect contact; communicable: said of diseases
2.
carrying, or liable to transmit, the causative agent of a contagious disease
3.
for the care of contagious patients
4.
spreading or tending to spread from person to person
contagious laughter
Derived forms
contagiously (conˈtagiously)
adverb
contagiousness (conˈtagiousness)
noun
Word origin
OFr contagieus < LL contagiosus
Examples of 'contagious' in a sentence
contagious
And you must possess the right emotional attitude - a contagious feeling that joining your venture will prove fun and financially rewarding.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
CAUSE: Highly contagious bacterial skin infection most commonly found on the face.
The Sun (2016)
At various points we have seen that negative emotions can be contagious within families.
Larson, Reed & Richards, Maryse H. Divergent Realities: the Emotional Lives of Mothers, Fathers, and Adolescents (1994)
This was because of the risk he might spread a contagious disease.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This illness is suspected to be highly contagious norovirus.
The Sun (2012)
They came back pumped with an enthusiasm contagious to the rest of the church.
Christianity Today (2000)
They will also be tested for contagious diseases.
The Sun (2015)
Symptoms can last for up to six days and it is highly contagious.
The Sun (2007)
The second difference is that large contagious diseases were susceptible to solutions at scale.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
One patient who received a kidney died from the highly contagious disease a year after the transplant.
The Sun (2013)
The disease is not contagious between people.
The Sun (2015)
But this highly contagious bug will always thrive in a restricted space filled with partying passengers.
The Sun (2012)
By doing so we can avoid contagious diseases.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
These caused the animals breathing problems and were highly contagious but did not pose a hazard for people.
The Sun (2009)
It is almost as if evil is a contagious disease that can be passed from man to man.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This sort of behaviour has to stop or the hostility towards his perceived lack of respect could become contagious.
The Sun (2015)
The disease then becomes extremely contagious.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Let's hope this attitude is contagious and we soon see other banks following suit.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
His energy and can-do attitude was contagious.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
contagious
British English: contagious /kənˈteɪdʒəs/ ADJECTIVE
A contagious disease can be caught by touching people or things that are infected with it.
...a highly contagious disease of the lungs.
American English: contagious
Arabic: مُعْدٍ
Brazilian Portuguese: contagioso
Chinese: 传染性的
Croatian: zarazan
Czech: nakažlivý
Danish: smitsom
Dutch: besmettelijk
European Spanish: contagioso
Finnish: tarttuva tauti
French: contagieux
German: ansteckend
Greek: μολυσματικός
Italian: contagioso
Japanese: 伝染性の
Korean: 전염성의
Norwegian: smittsom
Polish: zaraźliwy
European Portuguese: contagioso
Romanian: contagios
Russian: заразный
Latin American Spanish: contagioso
Swedish: smittsam
Thai: ซึ่งแพร่กระจายได้
Turkish: bulaşıcı
Ukrainian: інфекційний
Vietnamese: dễ lây
All related terms of 'contagious'
contagious disease
A disease is an illness which affects people, animals, or plants, for example one which is caused by bacteria or infection .
contagious ecthyma
an infectious disease of sheep and sometimes goats and cattle , characterized by scabby pustular lesions on the muzzle and lips ; caused by a paramyxovirus
contagious magic
magic that attempts to affect a person through something once connected with him or her, as a shirt once worn by the person or a footprint left in the sand ; a branch of sympathetic magic based on the belief that things once in contact are in some way permanently so, however separated physically they may subsequently become
contagious abortion
an infectious disease of cattle, goats , dogs , and pigs , caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella and transmittable to humans (e. g . by drinking contaminated milk): symptoms include fever , chills , and severe headache
contagious stomatitis
an acute highly infectious viral disease of cattle , pigs , sheep , and goats , characterized by the formation of vesicular eruptions in the mouth and on the feet, esp around the hoofs
Chinese translation of 'contagious'
contagious
(kənˈteɪdʒəs)
adj
[disease]接触(觸)传(傳)染的 (jiēchù chuánrǎn de)
[laughter, enthusiasm]感染性的 (gǎnrǎnxìng de)
(adjective)
Definition
(of a disease) capable of being passed on by contact