infection
Americannoun
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an infecting with germs of disease, as through the medium of infected insects, air, water, or clothing.
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an infecting agency or influence.
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an infectious disease.
Is this infection very dangerous?
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the condition of suffering an infection.
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corruption of another's opinions, beliefs, moral principles, etc.; moral contamination.
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an influence or impulse passing from one to another and affecting feeling or action.
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Grammar. (in Celtic languages) assimilation in which a vowel is influenced by a following vowel or semivowel; umlaut.
noun
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invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms
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the resulting condition in the tissues
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an infectious disease
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the act of infecting or state of being infected
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an agent or influence that infects
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persuasion or corruption, as by ideas, perverse influences, etc
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The invasion of the body of a human or an animal by a pathogen such as a bacterium, fungus, or virus. Infections can be localized, as in pharyngitis, or widespread as in sepsis, and are often accompanied by fever and an increased number of white blood cells. Individuals with immunodeficiency syndromes are predisposed to certain infections.
Other Word Forms
- noninfection noun
- postinfection adjective
- preinfection noun
- reinfection noun
- subinfection noun
Etymology
Origin of infection
1350–1400; Middle English infeccio ( u ) n < Late Latin infectiōn- (stem of infectiō ). See infect, -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Early visits are essential for identifying and managing conditions like hypertension, diabetes, infections and fetal growth restriction. When care begins late, or not at all, clinicians miss the window to manage these risks effectively.”
From Salon
T cells act as the immune system's memory, preserving instructions from past infections so the body can respond quickly in the future.
From Science Daily
He adds, "In the USA alone, tens of thousands of people die every year from antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, and that number is rising rapidly. We need new antibiotics to combat this."
From Science Daily
Controlling how immune cells move between the bloodstream and tissues is a promising strategy for treating both infections and inflammatory conditions.
From Science Daily
Vaccines are designed to prevent infections, but growing evidence suggests they may offer broader health effects.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
