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Contamination vs Infection - What's the difference?

contamination | infection |

As nouns the difference between contamination and infection

is that contamination is the act or process of contaminating; pollution; defilement; taint; also, that which contaminates while infection is the act or process of infecting.

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.
  • infection

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (pathology) The act or process of infecting.
  • An uncontrolled growth of harmful microorganisms in a host.
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    Derived terms

    * spurious infection