Definition of infect Infect

/ɪnfɛˈkt/ - [infekt] - in•fect

We found 15 definitions of infect from 6 different sources.

What does infect mean?

Verb infects, infecting, infected
infect - contaminate with a disease or microorganism
		taint
		disinfect destroy microorganisms or pathogens by cleansing; "disinfect a wound"
		pollute, contaminate, foul make impure; "The industrial wastes polluted the lake"
		superinfect infect (an infected cell) further or infect a cell already containing similar organisms
		smut affect with smut or mildew, as of a crop such as corn
infect - communicate a disease to; "Your children have infected you with this head cold"
		give proffer (a body part); "She gave her hand to her little sister"
		canker infect with a canker
infect - affect in a contagious way; "His laughter infects everyone who is in the same room"
		affect, impress, move, strike act physically on; have an effect upon; "the medicine affects my heart rate"
infect - corrupt with ideas or an ideology; "society was infected by racism"
		deprave, debauch, profane, demoralise, pervert, misdirect, vitiate, demoralize, debase, subvert, corrupt change the inherent purpose or function of something; "Don't abuse the system"; "The director of the factory misused the funds intended for the health care of his workers"

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infect (Verb)
To bring into contact with a substance that can cause illness.
infect (Verb)
To make somebody enthusiastic about one's own passion.

infect (v. t.)
Infected. Cf. Enfect.
infect (v. t.)
To taint with morbid matter or any pestilential or noxious substance or effluvium by which disease is produced; as, to infect a lancet; to infect an apartment.
infect (v. t.)
To affect with infectious disease; to communicate infection to; as, infected with the plague.
infect (v. t.)
To communicate to or affect with, as qualities or emotions, esp. bad qualities; to corrupt; to contaminate; to taint by the communication of anything noxious or pernicious.
infect (v. t.)
To contaminate with illegality or to expose to penalty.

infect
To spread among others, to communicate to others.
infect
To bring into contact with a substance that can cause illness (a pathogen).

infect
in-fekt′, v.t. to taint, especially with disease: to corrupt: to poison.—adj. (Shak.) tainted.—n. Infec′tion, act of infecting: that which infects or taints.—adjs. Infec′tious, Infect′ive, having the quality of infecting: corrupting: apt to spread.—adv. Infec′tiously.—n. Infec′tiousness. [Fr.,—L. inficĕre, infectum—in, into facĕre, to make.]