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

While abroad, you may also be exposed to germs that aren’t common in the US, Theresa Fiorito, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and director of the family travel medicine center at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, tells SELF. —Julia Ries Wexler, SELF, 26 Dec. 2025

The surge in illnesses relatively early in the flu season has been concerning to many infectious disease specialists, as a new version of influenza A (H3N2) called subclade K appears to be the driving force. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 22 Dec. 2025

Stephen Morse, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Columbia University, noted that influenza's behavior still defies confident forecasting. —Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025

In the first half of the 20th century, innovations—including improved sanitation and the advent of new vaccines and antibiotics—led to infectious disease mortality plummeting. —Time, 19 Dec. 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