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Contagious vs Contamination - What's the difference?

contagious | contamination |

As an adjective contagious

is of a disease, easily transmitted to others.

As a noun contamination is

the act or process of contaminating; pollution; defilement; taint; also, that which contaminates.

contagious

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of a disease, easily transmitted to others.
  • The flu was so contagious that everybody in town got sick!
  • Of a fashion, laughter, etc., easily passed on to others.
  • Wearing jeans was a contagious fad at that time.
  • Of a person, having a disease that can be transmitted to another person by touch.
  • They were highly contagious , spreading bacteria to other people.

    Synonyms

    * (of a disease) catching, infectious * infectious

    Antonyms

    * non-contagious

    Derived terms

    * contagiousness * contagion

    contamination

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act or process of contaminating; pollution; defilement; taint; also, that which contaminates.
  • (linguistics) A process whereby words with related meanings come to have similar sounds.
  • (linguistics, etymology) The influence of one form (often from a foreign language) on the historical development of another form to which it may be related in meaning.
  • The process of making a material or surface unclean or unsuited for its intended purpose, usually by the addition or attachment of undesirable foreign substances.