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reinfect

 - 4 dictionary results

in⋅fect

  [in-fekt]
Use reinfect in a Sentence
–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.
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. 2009.
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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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Medical Dictionary

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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