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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
His work is focused on emerging infectious disease, pandemic preparedness and biosecurity.
—
Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 11 July 2024
School disaster-response plans frequently address other natural and manmade emergencies with greater specificity, but leave infectious disease outbreaks with vague and nonspecific action steps.
—
Mario Ramirez, STAT, 11 July 2024
By 1620, infectious disease had wiped out over 70 percent of the Indigenous occupants of Peru’s northern coast.
—
Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2024
The plan would also split the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) into two parts: an infectious disease institute and one focusing on the immune system and arthritis.
—
science.org, 26 June 2024
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'infectious disease.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1600, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of infectious disease was
in 1600
Dictionary Entries Near infectious disease
Cite this Entry
“Infectious disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infectious%20disease. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
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
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