infect

Meaning

Verb

1. To bring (the body or part of it) into contact with a substance that causes illness (a pathogen), so that the pathogen begins to act on the body; (of a pathogen) to come into contact with (a body or body part) and begin to act on it.
2. To contaminate (an object or substance) with a pathogen.
3. To make somebody enthusiastic about one's own passion, or to communicate a feeling to others, or a feeling communicating itself to others.

Adj

Infected.

Synonyms

contaminate

taint

transmit

infected

pollute

catch

be contagious

spread disease

foul

contract

convey

corrupt

defile

examine

grab

grasp

grip

hang up

hit

hitch

impart

infection

infestation

join

kill

🔪🩸👤

pass on

poison

propagation

spoil

spread

stick

swell

touch

transfer

trap

🪤

be caught

become infected

make ill

spread news

be infectious

prehend

adhere

be infectous

affect

affected by

bog down

claw

cleave

come down with

communicate

contagious

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɪnˈfɛkt/

Etymology

From Middle French infect, from Latin infectus, perfect passive participle of inficiō (“dye, taint”).