Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Infection has 8 different meanings across 1 category:
the pathological state resulting from the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms
"After accidentally cutting her finger on a rusty nail, Sarah rushed to the clinic because she was worried about developing an infection."
(phonetics) the alteration of a speech sound under the influence of a neighboring sound
"When analyzing her phonetic recording, I noticed that the final consonant was slightly altered by infection from the preceding vowel."
(medicine) the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms and their multiplication which can lead to tissue damage and disease
"The doctor warned that leaving the cut untreated could allow an infection to spread through his arm."
an incident in which an infectious disease is transmitted
"The hospital was placed on high alert after a confirmed infection of MRSA spread to three other patients through shared equipment."
moral corruption or contamination
"ambitious men are led astray by an infection that is almost unavoidable"
(international law) illegality that taints or contaminates a ship or cargo rendering it liable to seizure
"The neutral-flagged vessel was seized by coast guards because the illegal arms shipment on board constituted an infection under maritime law."
The act or process of infecting.
"The rapid spread of infection through the water supply forced the city to issue an immediate boil-water advisory."
In plain English: An infection is when harmful germs get into your body and start making you sick.
"The doctor treated his infection with antibiotics after he noticed a red spot on his leg."
Usage: In its most common everyday sense, infection refers to a disease caused by harmful organisms like bacteria or viruses entering the body, not the abstract act of spreading them. Use this term when describing an illness affecting a person or animal rather than the general process of contamination.
The word entered English from the Old French infection, which came from the Late Latin īnfectiō. It originally referred to the act of being infected or corrupted.