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infecting

 - 5 dictionary results

in⋅fect

  [in-fekt]
–verb (used with object)
1. to affect or contaminate (a person, organ, wound, etc.) with disease-producing germs.
2. to affect with disease.
3. to taint or contaminate with something that affects quality, character, or condition unfavorably: to infect the air with poison gas.
4. to corrupt or affect morally: The news of the gold strike infected him with greed.
5. to imbue with some pernicious belief, opinion, etc.
6. to affect with a computer virus.
7. to affect so as to influence feeling or action: His courage infected the others.
8. Law. to taint with illegality, or expose to penalty, forfeiture, etc.
–verb (used without object)
9. to become infected.
–adjective
10. Archaic. infected.
Use infecting in a Sentence
Origin:
1350–1400; ME infecten < L infectus (ptp. of inficere to immerse in dye, discolor, taint, poison), equiv. to in- in- 2 + -fec-, comb. form of facere to do 1 , make (see fact ) + -tus ptp. suffix

Related forms:
in⋅fect⋅ant, adjective
in⋅fect⋅ed⋅ness, noun
in⋅fec⋅tor, in⋅fect⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
5. damage, corrupt. 6. touch, stir, arouse.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To infecting
in·fect   (ĭn-fěkt')   
tr.v.   in·fect·ed, in·fect·ing, in·fects

  1. To contaminate with a pathogenic microorganism or agent.

  2. To communicate a pathogen or disease to.

  3. To invade and produce infection in.

  4. To contaminate or corrupt: envy that infected their thoughts; a society that was infected by racism.

  5. To affect in a contagious way: "His fear infected me, and . . . I followed as fast as I could" (W.H. Hudson).


[Middle English infecten, to afflict with disease, from Latin īnficere, īnfect-, to stain, infect (in-, in; see in-2 + facere, to do; see dhē- in Indo-European roots).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

infect 
c.1374, from L. infectus, pp. of inficere "to spoil, stain," lit. "to put in," from in- "in" + facere "perform" (see factitious). Infection is 1548 in sense of "communication of disease by agency of air or water" (distinguished from contagion, which is body-to-body communication). Infectious "catching, having the quality of spreading from person to person" is 1542 of diseases, 1611 of emotions, actions, etc.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: in·fect
Pronunciation: in-'fekt
Function: transitive verb
1 : to contaminate with a disease-producing substance or agent (asbacteria)
2 a : to communicate a pathogen or a disease to b of a pathogenic organism : to invade (an individual or organ) usually by penetration—compare INFEST
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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infect in·fect (ĭn-fěkt')
v. in·fect·ed, in·fect·ing, in·fects

  1. To contaminate with a pathogenic microorganism or agent.

  2. To communicate a pathogen or disease to another organism.

  3. To invade and produce infection in an organ or body part.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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