German word

infizieren

Pronunciation

IPA/ɪnfiˈt͡siːʁən/

Meaning

  • verbinfect

Example

Das Virus infizierte viele Menschen.

The virus infected many people.

Illustration for infizieren (infect)

More examples

Unhygienische Instrumente infizierten die Wunde des Patienten.

Unhygienic instruments infected the patient's wound.

Core concept

A pathogen crosses into a body and leaves it either sick or carrying the pathogen.

Common phrases

  • Viren infizieren Menschen

    viruses infect people

  • postoperative Wunde infizieren

    infect a postoperative wound

  • einen Organismus infizieren

    infect an organism

Similar words

anstecken: Pass an illness to someone through direct contact, droplets, or similar exposure.
übertragen: Transfer a pathogen to another person through a carrier, droplets, or other means.
erkranken: Develop an illness and become physically unwell.

Definition in German

durch Übertragung von Erregern einen Organismus krank machen oder zum Träger der Erreger machen

Word origin

Infizieren is a learned borrowing ultimately from Latin inficere, meaning 'to taint or infect', with the German ending -ieren.

Usage tips

  • Infizieren normally takes an accusative object, as in 'Das Virus infizierte viele Menschen'; 'sich infizieren' means to become infected.

Related words

  • Infektionsrateinfection ratenoun
  • infektiösinfectiousadjective
  • Infektionsschutzinfection controlnoun

Word lists with this word