contagion

noun

con·​ta·​gion kən-ˈtā-jən 

1

a

: a contagious disease

b

: the transmission of a disease by direct or indirect contact

c

: a disease-producing agent (such as a virus)

2

a

: poison

b

: contagious influence, quality, or nature

c

: corrupting influence or contact

3

a

: rapid communication of an influence (such as a doctrine or emotional state)

b

: an influence that spreads rapidly

Examples of contagion in a Sentence

a disease that spreads by contagion

People have been warned to keep out of the area to avoid contagion.

Recent Examples on the Web

Washington has also worked constructively with other major economies to manage the risks of global contagion, successfully doing so, for example, in the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s and Latin American debt crises in the 1980s. —Daniel H. Rosen, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2023

And there were clusters of suicides apparently driven by contagion. —Ellen Barry, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2023

Both are likely headed for what would be among the nation’s biggest-ever restructurings or liquidations, raising the stakes for authorities trying to prevent contagion. —Bloomberg, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2023

Because the blight specifically targets members of the boxwood family, mixing them with other plants will help reduce the risk of spreading the contagion. —Tovah Martin, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2023

In support of this link, a 2020 study found that people are more likely to catch the contagion among family and friends. —Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 9 Oct. 2023

Stock and bond prices for other U.K. banks show little evidence of contagion. —WSJ, 9 Oct. 2023

This commitment is a major differentiator that explains why Unchained not only survived the crypto contagion, which wiped out nearly all crypto lenders (Celcius, Voyager, Vauld, Bable, BlockFi) but also proceeded to raise a $60M Series B. —Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2023

Energy markets face upside risks from the conflict in Israel amid the risk of contagion and the potential for other regional players to be pulled in, according to analysts. —Yusuf Khan, WSJ, 13 Oct. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English contagioun, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French contagiun, borrowed from Latin contāgiōn, contāgiō "contact, contact resulting in disease, infection, pollution," from contag-, variant stem of contingere "to be in contact with, arrive at, affect, fall to one's lot" + -iōn-, -iō, suffix of action nouns formed from compound verbs — more at contingent entry 1

Note: The vowel length in contāgiō is unexpected and difficult to explain; a similarly lengthened vowel is found in other deverbal derivatives with -ag- as a second member (compāgēs "bond, joint," from pangere, ambāgēs "circuitous path," from agere; see agent, pact).

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

contagion

noun

con·​ta·​gion kən-ˈtā-jən 

1

: the passing of a disease from one individual to another by direct or indirect contact

2

: a contagious disease or something (as a virus) that causes a contagious disease

Medical Definition

contagion

noun

con·​ta·​gion kən-ˈtā-jən 

1

: the transmission of a disease by direct or indirect contact

2

: contagious disease

3

: a disease-producing agent (as a virus)