con·ta·gion

[kuhn-tey-juhn]
noun
1.
the communication of disease by direct or indirect contact.
2.
a disease so communicated.
3.
the medium by which a contagious disease is transmitted.
4.
harmful or undesirable contact or influence.
5.
the ready transmission or spread as of an idea or emotion from person to person: a contagion of fear.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English (< Middle French) < Latin contāgiōn- (stem of contāgiō) contact, infection, equivalent to con- con- + tāg- (variant stem of tangere to touch) + -iōn- -ion; cf. contact

Related forms
con·ta·gioned, adjective
non·con·ta·gion, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To contagion
00:10
Contagion is always a great word to know.
So is constituent. Does it mean:
serving to compose or make up a thing; component:
A means of transporting.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Collins
World English Dictionary
contagion (kənˈteɪdʒən) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
1.  the transmission of disease from one person to another by direct or indirect contact
2.  a contagious disease
3.  another name for contagium
4.  a corrupting or harmful influence that tends to spread; pollutant
5.  the spreading of an emotional or mental state among a number of people: the contagion of mirth
 
[C14: from Latin contāgiō a touching, infection, from contingere; see contact]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

contagion
late 14c., from Fr. contagion, from L. contagionem "a touching, contact, contagion," from contingere "touch closely" (see contact).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

contagion con·ta·gion (kən-tā'jən)
n.

  1. Disease transmission by direct or indirect contact.

  2. A disease that is or may be transmitted by direct or indirect contact; a contagious disease.

  3. See contagium.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
contagion   (kən-tā'jən)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. The transmission of an infectious disease resulting from direct or indirect contact between individuals or animals.

  2. A disease that is transmitted in this way.

  3. The agent that causes a contagious disease, such as a bacterium or a virus.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Contagion also spreads through the market for credit-default swaps.
When the unthinkable suddenly becomes the inevitable, without pausing in the
  realm of the improbable, then you have contagion.
First, in a highly connected environment, even a small group can spread an
  economic or thought contagion.
And fears of financial contagion have made the markets unnaturally volatile.
Related Words
contagium
lues
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriHome Advisor
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
About PRIVACY POLICY Terms API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Suggest a Word Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT