What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Defile vs Infect - What's the difference?

defile | infect | Related terms |

In transitive terms the difference between defile and infect

is that defile is to make impure; to make dirty while infect is to make somebody enthusiastic about one's own passion.

As a noun defile

is a narrow way or passage, e.g. between mountains.

As an adjective infect is

infected.

defile

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Verb

(defil)
  • to make impure; to make dirty.
    • Synonyms
    * contaminate * pollute
    Antonyms
    * purify

    Etymology 2

    Earlier (defilee), from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A narrow way or passage, e.g. between mountains.
  • A single file, such as of soldiers.
  • The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior.
    • See also
    * glen

    Verb

    (defil)
  • (archaic) To march in a single file.
  • * 1979 , Cormac McCarthy, Suttree , Random House, p.138:
    • They defiled down a gully to the water and bunched and jerked their noses at it and came back.

    Noun

  • march-past

    • Declension

    {{sh-decl-noun , defìl?, defilei , defilèa, defilé? , defileu, defileima , defile, defilee , defileu / defilee, defilei , defileu, defileima , defileom, defileima }}

    References

    *

    infect

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To bring into contact with a substance that causes illness (a pathogen).
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= Katie L. Burke
    • , title= In the News , volume=101, issue=3, page=193, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola.}}
  • To make somebody enthusiastic about one's own passion.

    • Antonyms

    * disinfect

    Derived terms

    * infection * infectible

    Related terms

    * infectious

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (obsolete) Infected.
  • * 1602 , , I. iii. 187:
    • And in the imitation of these twain, / Who, as Ulysses says, opinion crowns / With an imperial voice, many are infect .
    ----