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

Fellow voting member Hayley Gans, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Stanford University, agreed. —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 18 June 2026

That’s infectious disease physician and former public health official Jeffrey Klausner, who wrote about his concerns in a new First Opinion essay. —Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 17 June 2026

Verily is contributing to the information the operations center is tracking to stay on top of infectious disease trends, by looking for about 30 infectious diseases in wastewater, including in cities where World Cup teams are training. —Alice Park, Time, 12 June 2026

The surrender to infectious disease that some of the worst among us contemplate is not inevitable. —Literary Hub, 11 June 2026

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