Infect
/ɪnˈfɛkt/noun
To contaminate or taint with disease or harmful substances.
Did you know?The Latin root 'inficere' means 'to dye' or 'to stain', revealing how ancient societies viewed disease as a form of corruption or pollution.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰei-
“to put, to place, or to set”
Latin
Latin
inficere
“to taint, stain, or poison”
Old French
Old French
infecter
“to contaminate or corrupt”
Middle English
Middle English
infecten
“to infect or contaminate with disease”
Modern English
English
infect
“to introduce a disease or harmful agent into an organism”