communicable
adjective
com·mu·ni·ca·ble
kə-ˈmyü-ni-kə-bəl 
1
: capable of being communicated : transmittable
a communicable skin rash
see also communicable disease
2
: communicative
… prove myself a gentleman, by being … virtuous and communicable …—
Izaak Walton
Izaak WaltonExamples of communicable in a Sentence
communicable diseases that are usually transmitted sexually
Recent Examples on the Web
Infected by the communicable Ebola virus while treating patients in Liberia, Brantly became the first person in the U.S. to have the disease and one of the first to survive it, along with his colleague and aid worker Nancy Writebol, who arrived three days later.
—Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Additionally, diseases may be communicable (contagious) or noncommunicable; of the latter, the four major types identified by the World Health Organization are cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The highly communicable virus had already become common in the colonies, and densely populated port cities like Boston, Philadelphia and New York periodically saw concentrated outbreaks, usually triggered by the arrival of infected passengers or goods like clothing.
—Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 17 Mar. 2026
The most fundamental consequences of being struck by lightning are often metaphysical, and not easily communicable.
—Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for communicable
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Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Additionally, diseases may be communicable (contagious) or noncommunicable; of the latter, the four major types identified by the World Health Organization are cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The highly communicable virus had already become common in the colonies, and densely populated port cities like Boston, Philadelphia and New York periodically saw concentrated outbreaks, usually triggered by the arrival of infected passengers or goods like clothing.
—Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 17 Mar. 2026
The most fundamental consequences of being struck by lightning are often metaphysical, and not easily communicable.
—Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for communicable
Cite this Entry
“Communicable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communicable. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
communicable
adjective
com·mu·ni·ca·ble
kə-ˈmyü-ni-kə-bəl
: capable of being transferred or carried from one person or thing to another
communicable diseases
Medical Definition
communicable
adjective
com·mu·ni·ca·ble
kə-ˈmyü-ni-kə-bəl
: capable of being transmitted from person to person, animal to animal, animal to human, or human to animal : transmissible
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