Contagion Meaning
/kənˈteɪd͡ʒən/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA disease spread by contact.
nounThe spread or transmission of such a disease.
Sentence Examples
The contagion is damaging the Italian economy and its important tourism industry.
Until recently, Romans seemed confident that the city would escape major contagion.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The virus spread rapidly, creating a dangerous ____ across the region.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ is damaging the Italian economy and its important tourism industry.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English (late 14th century), from Old French, from Latin contāgiō (“a touching, contact, contagion”) related to contingō (“touch closely”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"It is true, they were a good-natured and respectable set of servants, who had lived so long in their places that they might be said, by a happy contagion, to have caught kindly feelings from their superiors, and, having assisted in saving the lives of the young ladies, gave them an interest in their pleasures, and a real delight in seeing those fair young faces lighted up with joy."
— 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XIX, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 242:
"And it was German procrastination that aggravated the Greek crisis and caused the contagion that turned it into an existential crisis for Europe."
— 2011, George Soros, Project Syndicate, Germany Must Defend the Euro:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The virus spread rapidly, creating a dangerous ____ across the region.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ is damaging the Italian economy and its important tourism industry.