fomite

Meaning

An inanimate object capable of carrying infectious agents (such as bacteria, viruses or prions), and thus passively enabling their transmission between hosts; common examples include towels, dishcloths, kitchenware/flatware, and laundry.

Synonyms

vehicle

pollutant

fomes

contaminator

dealer

factor

fixer

go-between

intercessor

middleman

adjudicator

router

transactor

transmitter

intermediator

influence peddler

contaminating material

negotiator

broker

contaminant

Translations

fomite

Fomite

fómite

vecteur passif

« fomites »

véhicule

Fomite

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈfəʊmʌɪt/

Etymology

A back-formation from fomites, plural of fomes, a borrowing of medical Latin fōmes (“tinder, kindling”), used figuratively to evoke the analogy of a spreading infection to a spreading fire.