Standard Lemma guide

infection

noun · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪnˈfɛkʃən/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛkʃən
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N F EH1 K SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act or process of infecting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, pathology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A disease caused by such presence of a pathogen.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: infectious disease

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A visible sign of such a disease, such as the suppuration of a wound.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

(international law) illegality that taints or contaminates a ship or cargo rendering it liable to seizure

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: illegality

6

noun

Meaning 6

moral corruption or contamination

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • ambitious men are led astray by an infection that is almost unavoidable

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: corruptness, corruption

7

noun

Meaning 7

the communication of an attitude or emotional state among a number of people

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a contagion of mirth
  • the infection of his enthusiasm for poetry

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: contagion

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: communication

8

noun

Meaning 8

an incident in which an infectious disease is transmitted

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: contagion, transmission

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: incident

9

noun

Meaning 9

(medicine) the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms and their multiplication which can lead to tissue damage and disease

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pathologic process, pathological process

Narrower terms: zymosis

10

noun

Meaning 10

(phonetics) the alteration of a speech sound under the influence of a neighboring sound

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: linguistic process

11

noun

Meaning 11

the pathological state resulting from the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ill health, unhealthiness, health problem

Narrower terms: enterobiasis, felon, whitlow, focal infection, nonsocial infection, cross infection, opportunistic infection, paronychia, protozoal infection, respiratory tract infection, respiratory infection, scabies, itch, schistosomiasis, bilharzia, bilharziasis, sepsis, sore, staphylococcal infection, streptococcal sore throat, strep throat, streptococcus tonsilitis, septic sore throat, throat infection, sty, stye, hordeolum, eye infection, superinfection, suprainfection, tapeworm infection, tetanus, lockjaw, toxoplasmosis, viral infection, virus infection, vaccinia, vaccina, variola vaccine, variola vaccinia, variola vaccina

History

Etymology

From Old French infection, from Late Latin īnfectiō. Equivalent to infect + -ion.

Across languages

Translations

200 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: infekteer — the process of infecting
  • Albanian: infektim — the process of infecting
  • Albanian: infeksion — the process of infecting
  • Arabic: عَدَوَى (ʕadawā) — the process of infecting
  • Armenian: վարակում (varakum) — the process of infecting
  • Azerbaijani: infeksiya — the process of infecting
  • Azerbaijani: yoluxma — the process of infecting
  • Azerbaijani: yoluxdurma — the process of infecting
  • Azerbaijani: sirayət — the process of infecting
  • Belarusian: інфе́кцыя (infjékcyja) — the process of infecting
  • Belarusian: інфэ́кцыя (infékcyja) — the process of infecting
  • Belarusian: заражэ́нне (zaražénnje) — the process of infecting
  • Bulgarian: заразя́ване (zarazjávane) — the process of infecting
  • Bulgarian: инфе́кция (infékcija) — the process of infecting
  • Catalan: infecció — the process of infecting
  • Chinese Cantonese: 傳染 /传染 (cyun4 jim5) — the process of infecting
  • Chinese Mandarin: 傳染 /传染 (chuánrǎn) — the process of infecting
  • Czech: infekce — the process of infecting
  • Czech: nákaza — the process of infecting
  • Danish: infektion — the process of infecting
  • Dutch: infectie — the process of infecting
  • Dutch: infectering — the process of infecting
  • Estonian: infektsioon — the process of infecting
  • Finnish: tarttuminen — the process of infecting
  • French: infection — the process of infecting
  • Galician: infección — the process of infecting
  • Georgian: ინფექცია (inpekcia) — the process of infecting
  • Georgian: ინფიცირება (inpicireba) — the process of infecting
  • Georgian: დასნებოვნება (dasnebovneba) — the process of infecting
  • Georgian: დასენიანება (dasenianeba) — the process of infecting
  • German: Ansteckung — the process of infecting
  • German: Infektion — the process of infecting
  • Hebrew: זיהום — the process of infecting
  • Hebrew: זִהוּם (zihum) — the process of infecting
  • Hindi: संक्रमण (saṅkramaṇ) — the process of infecting
  • Hungarian: fertőzés — the process of infecting
  • Hungarian: megfertőzés — the process of infecting
  • Icelandic: sýking — the process of infecting
  • Icelandic: smitun — the process of infecting
  • Indonesian: infeksi — the process of infecting
  • Interlingua: infection — the process of infecting
  • Irish: galrú — the process of infecting
  • Italian: infezione — the process of infecting
  • Japanese: 伝染 (densen) — the process of infecting
  • Kazakh: жұқпа (jūqpa) — the process of infecting
  • Kazakh: инфекция (infeksiä) — the process of infecting
  • Kazakh: жұқтыру (jūqtyru) — the process of infecting
  • Korean: 감염 (gamyeom) — the process of infecting
  • Korean: 전염 (jeonyeom) — the process of infecting
  • Northern Kurdish: tûşbûn — the process of infecting
  • Kyrgyz: инфекция (infektsiya) — the process of infecting
  • Latvian: infekcija — the process of infecting
  • Lithuanian: užkrėtimas — the process of infecting
  • Lithuanian: infekcija — the process of infecting
  • Macedonian: инфекција (infekcija) — the process of infecting
  • Macedonian: зараза (zaraza) — the process of infecting
  • Malay: jangkitan — the process of infecting
  • Māori: whakapokenga — the process of infecting
  • Norwegian Bokmål: infeksjon — the process of infecting
  • Occitan: infeccion — the process of infecting
  • Persian: عُفونَت ('ofunat) — the process of infecting
  • Persian: پوسیدن (pūsidan) — the process of infecting
  • Persian: گندگی (gandagi) — the process of infecting
  • Persian: پوده (pūde) — the process of infecting
  • Polish: infekcja — the process of infecting
  • Polish: zakażenie — the process of infecting
  • Portuguese: infecção — the process of infecting
  • Portuguese: infeccionamento — the process of infecting
  • Romanian: infectare — the process of infecting
  • Russian: инфе́кция (infékcija) — the process of infecting
  • Russian: зараже́ние (zaražénije) — the process of infecting
  • Serbo-Croatian: за̑раза — the process of infecting
  • Serbo-Croatian: заражење — the process of infecting
  • Serbo-Croatian: zȃraza — the process of infecting
  • Serbo-Croatian: zaraženje — the process of infecting
  • Slovak: infekcia — the process of infecting
  • Slovak: nákaza — the process of infecting
  • Slovene: okuženje — the process of infecting
  • Slovene: infekcija — the process of infecting
  • Spanish: infección — the process of infecting
  • Spanish: infición — the process of infecting
  • Swedish: infektion — the process of infecting
  • Tagalog: hawa — the process of infecting
  • Tajik: инфектсия (infektsiya) — the process of infecting
  • Tajik: гирифтор (giriftor) — the process of infecting
  • Tajik: уфунат (ufunat) — the process of infecting
  • Tamil: தொற்று (toṟṟu) — the process of infecting
  • Thai: การติดเชื้อ (gaan-dtìt-chʉ́ʉa) — the process of infecting
  • Turkish: enfeksiyon — the process of infecting
  • Ukrainian: інфе́кція (infékcija) — the process of infecting
  • Ukrainian: зараже́ння (zaražénnja) — the process of infecting
  • Ukrainian: закаже́ння (zakažénnja) — the process of infecting
  • Uzbek: infeksiya — the process of infecting
  • Vietnamese: sự nhiễm trùng — the process of infecting
  • Vietnamese: sự lây nhiễm — the process of infecting
  • Afrikaans: infeksie — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Albanian: infeksion — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Arabic: عَدْوَى (ʕadwā) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Armenian: ինֆեկցիա (infekcʻia) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Armenian: վարակ (varak) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Aymara: añata — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Azerbaijani: infeksiya — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Basque: infekzio — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Belarusian: інфе́кцыя (infjékcyja) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Belarusian: інфэ́кцыя (infékcyja) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Belarusian: зара́за (zaráza) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Bengali: সংক্রমণ (śoṅkromon) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Bhojpuri: संक्रमण (saṅkramaṇ) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Bulgarian: инфе́кция (infékcija) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Bulgarian: зара́за (zaráza) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Catalan: infecció — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Chinese Cantonese: 感染 (gam2 jim5) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Chinese Mandarin: 感染 (gǎnrǎn) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Czech: infekce — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Czech: nákaza — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Danish: infektion — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Dutch: infectie — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Esperanto: infekto — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Estonian: nakkus — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Estonian: infektsioon — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Finnish: tartunta — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Finnish: infektio — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • French: infection — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Galician: infección — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Georgian: ინფექცია (inpekcia) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Georgian: ინფექციური დაავადება (inpekciuri daavadeba) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • German: Infektion — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Greek: λοίμωξη (loímoxi) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Greek: μόλυνση (mólynsi) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Hebrew: זיהום — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Hebrew: זִהוּם (zihum) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Hebrew: נֶגַע (néga') — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Hindi: संक्रमण (saṅkramaṇ) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Hungarian: fertőzés — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Hungarian: fertőződés — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Hungarian: megfertőződés — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Icelandic: sýking — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Irish: galar — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Italian: infezione — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Japanese: 感染 (kansen) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Kazakh: инфекция (infeksiä) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Kazakh: жұқпа (jūqpa) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Khmer: ដំបៅក្លាយ (dɑmbaw klaay) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Korean: 감염 (gamyeom) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Kyrgyz: инфекция (infektsiya) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Lao: ການຕິດແປດພະຍາດ (kān tit pǣt pha nyāt) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Lao: ພິດ (phit) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Lao: ຝີ (fī) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Lao: ການຕິດເຊື້ອ (kān tit sư̄a) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Latin: infectio — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Latvian: infekcija — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Lithuanian: infekcija — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Macedonian: инфекција (infekcija) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Macedonian: зараза (zaraza) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Māori: pokenga — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Mongolian: халдвар (xaldvar) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Navajo: iiʼnótʼį́į́ — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Navajo: iʼniiyą́ą́ʼ — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Norwegian Bokmål: infeksjon — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Occitan: infeccion — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Persian: عُفونَت ('ofunat) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Plautdietsch: Aunstekjunk — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Polish: zakażenie — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Portuguese: infecção — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Romanian: infecție — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Russian: инфе́кция (infékcija) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Russian: зара́за (zaráza) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Serbo-Croatian: инфѐкција — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Serbo-Croatian: за̑раза — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Serbo-Croatian: заражење — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Serbo-Croatian: infèkcija — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Serbo-Croatian: zȃraza — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Serbo-Croatian: zaraženje — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Slovak: infekcia — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Slovak: nákaza — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Slovene: okužba — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Slovene: infekcija — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Spanish: infección — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Spanish: infición — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Swedish: infektion — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Tagalog: hawa — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Tagalog: pagkakahawa — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Tajik: инфектсия (infektsiya) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Tajik: уфунат (ufunat) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Thai: การติดเชื้อ (gaan-dtìt-chʉ́ʉa) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Turkish: enfeksiyon — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Ukrainian: інфе́кція (infékcija) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Ukrainian: зара́за (zaráza) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Uzbek: infeksiya — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Vietnamese: sự nhiễm trùng — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Vietnamese: sự lây nhiễm — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Welsh: heintiad — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Yiddish: אינפֿעקציע (infektsye) — uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host
  • Afrikaans: infeksie — disease
  • Finnish: tartuntatauti — disease
  • Finnish: tarttuva tauti — disease
  • Hungarian: fertőzés — disease
  • Hungarian: hurut — disease
  • Hungarian: ragály — disease
  • Tamil: தொற்றுநோய் (toṟṟunōy) — disease