Contagious Meaning
/kənˈteɪdʒəs/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjEasily transmitted to others.
adjEasily passed on to others.
Sentence Examples
The rash is, um, also incredibly contagious.
A contagious disease descended on the town.
Influenza, measles, pox and chickenpox are infectious and contagious diseases.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The patient's ____ disease forced the entire ward into isolation.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The rash is, um, also incredibly ____.
Word Origin & History
From Old French contagieus, from Late Latin contagiosus, from contagio.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The taverns of our ancestors would ill bear contrasting with the clubs of to-day; but many a gay midnight was past in the former:—midnights, whose mirth has descended even to us; half the jests, whose gaiety is still contagious; half the epigrams, whose point is yet felt, were born of those brief and brilliant hours."
— 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Success”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 75:
"Cause love is contagious, when it's alright / Love is contagious, when it's alright / Love is alright"
— 2000, Damon Gough, “Magic in the Air”, in The Hour of Bewilderbeast, performed by Badly Drawn Boy:
"One such investigation described how kindness can be contagious."
— 2025 November 13, Kamala Thiagarajan, “If you're going to be kind to another human, today is the day to do it!”, in NPR:
"In Agypt's land contaygious to the Nile / Old Pharao's daughter went to bathe in style,"
— 19th century, Zozimus, “The Finding of Moses”:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The patient's ____ disease forced the entire ward into isolation.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The rash is, um, also incredibly ____.