INFECT

infect, taint

(verb) contaminate with a disease or microorganism

infect

(verb) communicate a disease to; “Your children have infected you with this head cold”

infect

(verb) affect in a contagious way; “His laughter infects everyone who is in the same room”

infect

(verb) corrupt with ideas or an ideology; “society was infected by racism”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

infect (third-person singular simple present infects, present participle infecting, simple past and past participle infected)

(transitive) To bring into contact with a substance that causes illness (a pathogen).

(transitive) To make somebody enthusiastic about one's own passion.

Antonyms

• disinfect

Adjective

infect (not comparable)

(obsolete) Infected.

Anagrams

• netfic

Source: Wiktionary

In*fect", a. Etym: [L. infectus: cf. F. infect. See Infect, v. t.]

Definition: Infected. Cf. Enfect. [Obs.] Shak.

In*fect", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Infected; p. pr. & vb. n. Infecting.] Etym: [L. infectus, p. p. of inficere to put or dip into, to stain, infect; pref. in- in + facere to make; cf. F. infecter. See Fact.]

1. To taint with morbid matter or any pestilential or noxious substance or effluvium by which disease is produced; as, to infect a lancet; to infect an apartment.

2. To affect with infectious disease; to communicate infection to; as, infected with the plague. Them that were left alive being infected with this disease. Sir T. North.

3. To communicate to or affect with, as qualities or emotions, esp. bad qualities; to corrupt; to contaminate; to taint by the communication of anything noxious or pernicious. Cowper. Infected Ston's daughters with like heat. Milton.

4. (Law)

Definition: To contaminate with illegality or to expo

Syn.

– To poison; vitiate; pollute; defile.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition