Contagion
noun /kənˈteɪ.dʒən/ — The communication of disease or influence from one to another
Definition
The transmission of disease from one person to another by close contact — or more broadly, the spreading of ideas, emotions, or behaviours through a group. Contagion is not just viral; it is social, emotional, and ideological.
Beyond the definition
Contagion is the word for everything that spreads — and it is not neutral. Panic is contagious. So is calm. So is cruelty. So is generosity. Understanding contagion is understanding how human groups actually work.
Origin & history
Latin: contagio (touching, contact), from con- (together) + tangere (to touch). The contagion is transmitted through touch — the connection that passes something between beings.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The financial contagion spread from one market to another faster than anyone predicted.
Emotional contagion is real: the mood in a room changes everyone in it.
Contagion works in both directions. Choose carefully what you bring into proximity.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Contagion” when the meaning fits your context: The transmission of disease from one person to another by close contact — or more broadly, the spreading of ideas, emotions, or behaviours through a group. Contagion is not just viral; it is social, emotional, and ideological.
Synonyms
transmission, spreading, infectious contact
Antonyms
containment, quarantine
Related words
Contagion vs infection
Contagion is the process by which a disease spreads between people. An infection is the actual presence and growth of a pathogen within a host.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Spreading Impact of Speech
An orator stands before an unseen audience, arms outstretched in an assertive, commanding gesture.
The orator's commanding rhetoric serves as a source of emotional and ideological contagion. Just as a virus transmits, the intensity of their speech spreads a specific mood or opinion to the listening crowd, demonstrating how behavior is shared through a group.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Contagion" mean?
Contagion is noun meaning: The communication of disease or influence from one to another. The transmission of disease from one person to another by close contact — or more broadly, the spreading of ideas, emotions, or behaviours through a group. Contagion is not just viral; it is social, emotional, and ideological.
Where does the word "Contagion" come from?
Latin: contagio (touching, contact), from con- (together) + tangere (to touch). The contagion is transmitted through touch — the connection that passes something between beings.