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

The 21 Korean deaths, in particular, were verified by a panel of specialists in cardiology, infectious disease, and epidemiology. —Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2025

Since then, cases of children infected with hepatitis B dropped more than 95%, with 6 million infections prevented, Angela Ulrich, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota who studies the vaccine, told reporters Thursday. —Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2025

The infectious disease is mostly spread through coughing, Dean Blumberg, the chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Health, previously told The Sacramento Bee. —Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 4 Dec. 2025

Jamaica is seeing an outbreak of leptospirosis and is urging anyone who is experiencing symptoms from the infectious disease to seek immediate medical care. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Nov. 2025

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