What does "infectious" mean?
Infectious: Corrupting, or tending to corrupt or contaminate; vitiating; demoralizing. It [the court] is necessary for the polishing of manners . . . but it is infectious even to the best morals to live always in it. Dryden.
Additional senses
- 2.(Law) Contaminating with illegality; exposing to seizure and forfeiture. Contraband articles are said to be of an infectious nature. Kent.
- 3.Capable of being easily diffused or spread; sympathetic; readily communicated; as, infectious mirth. The laughter was so genuine as to be infectious. W. Black.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
- Canonical URL: https://worddirectanswers.com/answers/what-does-infectious-mean
- Steward: Jason Burns
- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00