Infect

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈfɛkt/

Definitions of infect

verb to affect or contaminate with something harmful or destructive

Example Sentences

A1 Germs can infect your body and make you sick.

A2 It is important to wash your hands regularly to prevent infecting others with germs.

B1 The virus quickly spread and infected a large portion of the population.

B2 The bacteria in the contaminated water supply can easily infect anyone who drinks from it.

C1 The highly contagious disease has the potential to infect millions if not properly contained.

C2 The new strain of flu has the ability to infect even those who have been vaccinated.

Examples of infect in a Sentence

formal The virus has the potential to infect many people if not contained.

informal I heard that a stomach bug is going around and it might infect us.

slang Don't touch that dirty doorknob, you might infect yourself!

figurative Negative thoughts can infect your mind if you let them linger.

Grammatical Forms of infect

• past tense: infected
• plural: infects
• comparative: more infectious
• superlative: most infectious
• present tense: infect
• future tense: will infect
• perfect tense: has infected
• continuous tense: is infecting
• singular: infect
• positive degree: infectious
• infinitive: to infect
• gerund: infecting
• participle: infected

Origin and Evolution of infect

First Known Use: 0014 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'infect' originated from the Latin word 'inficere' meaning 'to stain or poison'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'infect' has evolved to also include the transmission of diseases or illnesses from one person to another.