Main Entry: con·ta·gious

Pronunciation: \-jəs\

Function: adjective

1 : communicable by contact <tuberculosis in the contagious stage>—compare infectious 2
2 : bearing contagion <many persons…are contagious long before they are aware of the presence of their disease—Journal of the American Medical Association>
3 : used for contagious diseases <a contagious ward>

—con·ta·gious·ly adverb

—con·ta·gious·ness noun