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

The assistant secretary’s office is involved in decisions about funding next-generation vaccines against pandemic flu or other infectious disease threats. — Mike Stobbe, Fortune, 15 July 2026

Linda Yancey, an infectious disease specialist at Memorial Hermann Health System in Texas, told TIME Magazine that outbreaks like this may become more common as health officials are forced to work with reduced staff and limited funding. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 14 July 2026

Bon Appétit tapped infectious disease expert, Peter Chin-Hong, MD, who serves as a professor and associate dean at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, for his insight. — Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 July 2026

To estimate how many parasitoid wasp species in the Costa Rican national park have evaded detection, the researchers took cues from infectious disease tracking. — Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 1 July 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