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 many people get covid after receiving a covid shot, because the vaccine’s ability to prevent infection wears off pretty fast, some misunderstand the purpose of the shot, said Otto Yang, an infectious disease specialist at UCLA Health. —Phillip Reese, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025

Oncology isn’t the only field in pursuit of valuable information about single rare cells—fields including developmental biology, immunology, stem cell biology, neuroscience, and infectious disease all require studying individual cells. —Perri Thaler, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Oct. 2025

The University of Florida muzzled infectious disease experts, said emeritus professor Doug Barrett, formerly the university’s chief of pediatrics and senior vice president for health affairs. —Arthur Allen, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025

That's standard practice, public health and infectious disease experts told NPR and KFF Health News. —Rosemary Westwood, NPR, 28 Oct. 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