Infection
/ɪnˈfɛkʃən/noun
The act or process of infecting or the state of being infected.
Did you know?The Latin root 'inficere' means 'to stain or dye', suggesting that infections were seen as corrupting forces that taint the body.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
inficere
“To stain, taint, or corrupt; literally 'to put into'.”
Late Latin
Late Latin
infectio
“A contaminating or corrupting influence; a process of infection.”
Old French
Old French
infection
“An act of infecting or the condition of being infected.”
Middle English
Middle English
infeccioun
“The act of infecting, often with a focus on diseases.”
Modern English
English
infection
“A term for the state or process of being infected by pathogens.”