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infect

Syllabification: (in·fect)
Pronunciation: /inˈfekt/

Translate infect | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of infect

verb

[with object]
  • affect (a person, organism, cell, etc.) with a disease-causing organism:there is no evidence that the virus can infect humans
  • contaminate (air, water, etc.) with harmful organisms.
  • Computing affect with a virus.
  • (of a negative feeling or idea) take hold of or be communicated to (someone):the panic in his voice infected her

Derivatives

infector

Pronunciation: /-ˈfektər/

noun

Origin:

late Middle English: from Latin infect- 'tainted', from the verb inficere, from in- 'into' + facere 'put, do'

infect in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of infect in the British & World English dictionary

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