noun

contagion

kuhn-TAYD-zhuhn

noun

A disease that spreads by contact, or the process of it spreading.

"Health officials worked quickly to stop the contagion from spreading."

The spread of an idea, behavior, or crisis through a group, as if it were a disease.

"Fear of financial contagion spread quickly across global markets."

How to Use Contagion

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA spreading disease, or by extension, anything (fear, panic, a crisis) that spreads the same way.

Common pairings

spread of contagion financial contagion contain the contagion

contagions plural

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Health officials worked quickly to stop the _____ from spreading.

From Old French, from Latin contagio, "a touching, contagion," related to contingere ("to touch closely").

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