infection
B2Formal and technical, but also common in everyday use.
Definition
Meaning
The process or state of being invaded and harmed by a pathogenic microorganism (e.g., bacteria, virus, fungus).
The process of contaminating or corrupting something with a harmful influence, idea, or emotion; the communication of a harmful pattern or disease to a system.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes a biological/medical state, but frequently used metaphorically for the spread of ideas, emotions, or digital malware.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor orthographic preference. Medical/technical usage is identical. 'Chest infection' is slightly more common in UK English than the US equivalent 'lung infection'.
Connotations
Identical core medical connotation. In computing, 'infection' is slightly more informal than 'infiltration' or 'compromise' in US tech jargon.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties due to its core medical meaning.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
infection of [body part/organ]infection with [pathogen]infection from [source]infection caused by [agent]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “spread like an infection”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically: 'An infection of pessimism spread through the market.'
Academic
Central term in medicine, biology, epidemiology, and computer science (e.g., 'virus infection of the host cell').
Everyday
Commonly used for minor to serious illnesses: 'The doctor said it's a throat infection.'
Technical
Specific clinical descriptions: 'The patient presented with a postoperative surgical site infection.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The wound could easily infect if not kept clean.
- His negativity seemed to infect the whole team.
American English
- The virus can infect the system files.
- One bad apple can infect the whole barrel.
adverb
British English
- The disease spread infectiously through the community.
American English
- The idea caught on infectiously among the staff.
adjective
British English
- The infectious patient was isolated.
- He had an infectious laugh.
American English
- They treated the infectious disease.
- Her enthusiasm was infectious.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She has an ear infection.
- Wash your hands to avoid infection.
- The cut on his knee led to a minor infection.
- Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections.
- The outbreak was caused by a waterborne infection.
- There's a high risk of infection in overcrowded hospitals.
- The infection had metastasized into septicemia, requiring intensive care.
- His speech contained an infection of dangerous ideologies.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'IN' + 'AFFECT' + 'TION' – something getting INto you and AFFECTing you negatively.
Conceptual Metaphor
NEGATIVITY/EVIL IS A DISEASE (e.g., 'an infection of corruption'), SPREAD IS CONTAGION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'infarction' (инфаркт).
- The Russian word 'инфекция' is a direct cognate, but English 'infection' is more commonly used in everyday speech for specific illnesses (e.g., ear infection).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'infection' for non-communicable conditions like degeneration or allergy.
- Misspelling as 'infaction' or 'infecton'.
- Confusing 'infection' (process/state) with 'infectiousness' (ability to infect).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'infection' used metaphorically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Infection is caused by invading pathogens (bacteria, viruses). Inflammation is the body's immune response, which can be caused by infection but also by injury or autoimmune disorders.
Yes, it's a common metaphorical extension, meaning a computer system has been compromised by malware, especially a virus.
It is both. Uncountable when referring to the process or state (e.g., 'risk of infection'). Countable when referring to a specific instance (e.g., 'a serious infection', 'two separate infections').
'Infectious' describes something capable of causing infection or spreading easily. 'Infected' describes something that has been contaminated with a pathogen.
Collections
Part of a collection
Health and Wellness
B1 · 49 words · Physical and mental health vocabulary.