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Meaning of infect
to cause someone or something to become infected with a disease or a harmful organism
Etymology of infect
The word "infect" comes from the Latin "infectus", which is the past participle of "inficere", meaning "to put into" or "to taint"
The word has been used in English since the 15th century to describe the spread of disease, and its meaning has expanded over time to include other types of influence or contamination
Synonyms
contaminate
pollute
taint
corrupt
spoil
defile
sully
foul
adulterate
debilitate
impair
weaken
damage
harm
hurt
afflict
affect
influence
impact
spread
transmit
communicate
convey
implant
instill
introduce
inject
impose
enforce
compel
coerce
infect
contaminate
poison
envenom
canker
blight
plague
pestilence
epidemic
outbreak
contagion
disease
illness
sickness
ailment
disorder
malady
infection
infestation
Definitions
- to cause a person, animal, or plant to suffer from a disease or illness, typically one that is caused by a microorganism such as a bacterium or virus
- * to contaminate or pollute something, such as air, water, or food, with a disease-causing microorganism
- * to influence or affect someone or something in a way that is considered unpleasant or undesirable
Usage Examples
- The virus can infect anyone who comes into contact with it
- * The polluted water infected the entire ecosystem
- * Her negative attitude infected the whole team