contagious disease

noun

plural contagious diseases

: an infectious disease (such as influenza, measles, or tuberculosis) that is transmitted by contact with an infected individual or infected bodily discharges or fluids (such as respiratory droplets), by contact with a contaminated surface or object, or by ingestion of contaminated food or water

Note: The terms contagious disease and communicable disease are often used interchangeably. However, communicable diseases such as malaria or schistosomiasis that are spread by contact with disease vectors (such as mosquitoes or ticks) are not typically considered to be "contagious" diseases since they cannot be spread from direct contact with another person.

Examples of contagious disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Cholera is a highly contagious disease that causes diarrhea, leading to severe dehydration, and could be fatal if not immediately treated, according to WHO. —

Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2024 However, breeding did decline in the past couple of years after park managers moved all the park’s birds to protected spaces to try to keep them safe from highly pathogenic avian influenza, a highly contagious disease. —

Karen Kucher, The Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2024 In addition to measles, those vaccines protect against other contagious diseases such as whooping cough and chickenpox. —

Sarah Volpenhein, Journal Sentinel, 11 Oct. 2024 Extremist state legislators in Ohio, for instance, have given politicians the right to revoke any rule from the state health department designed to limit the spread of contagious disease. —

The Editors, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for contagious disease

Word History

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of contagious disease was in 1529

See more words from the same year

Dictionary Entries Near contagious disease

contagious bovine pleuropneumonia

contagious disease

contagious distribution

See More Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

Style

“Contagious disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contagious%20disease. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

contagious disease

noun

: an infectious disease (as influenza, measles, or tuberculosis) that is transmitted by contact with an infected individual or infected bodily discharges or fluids (as respiratory droplets), by contact with a contaminated surface or object, or by ingestion of contaminated food or water

Note: The terms contagious disease and communicable disease are often used interchangeably. However, communicable diseases (as malaria or schistosomiasis) that are spread by contact with disease vectors (as mosquitoes or ticks) are not typically considered to be "contagious" diseases since they cannot be spread from direct contact with another person.

Last Updated: 29 Oct 2024 - Updated example sentences

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

negotiate

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

contagious disease

noun

Examples of contagious disease in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near contagious disease

Cite this Entry

Medical Definition