Spanish word

contagio

Pronunciation

IPA/konˈtaxjo/

Meaning

  • masculine nouninfection

Example

Se confirmó un contagio en la oficina.

An infection was confirmed inside the office.

Illustration for contagio (infection)

More examples

La prevención del contagio empieza con el lavado de manos.

Prevention of infection begins with handwashing.

Core concept

A pathogen passing from one person, animal, or contaminated object to another and producing a new infection.

Common phrases

  • prevención del contagio

    prevention of infection

  • medidas contra el contagio

    measures against infection

  • casos de contagio

    cases of infection

Similar words

infección: A pathogen establishes itself inside the body and produces symptoms of disease.
transmisión: An infectious agent passes from one person to another, enabling new infections.
epidemia: A disease spreads suddenly and widely, affecting numerous people.

Definition in Spanish

Proceso por el cual un agente infeccioso se transmite de una persona, animal o objeto a otra y provoca infección en quien lo recibe.

Word origin

From Latin contagium, from contingere 'to touch', the word developed the sense of disease transmission by contact.

Usage tips

  • Spanish often uses contagio for the transmission event (hubo un contagio), while someone becoming infected is expressed with the reflexive contagiarse (me contagié).

Opposites

  • inmunidadimmunitynoun

Related words

Word lists with this word