contagio

contagion

noun kohn-TAH-hyoh Rare

Origin: Latin contagio, from contingere (to touch)

Also means

infection

Usage Note

Contagio refers to the process or act of disease transmission, not to the pathogen itself — use patógeno for that. The related adjective contagioso (contagious) is more common in everyday speech, while contagio appears in medical, journalistic, and academic writing. Contagio can also be used figuratively: el contagio del miedo (the spread of fear).

Examples

"Las autoridades intentan frenar el contagio del virus."

Natural Translation

Authorities are trying to slow the spread of the virus.

Related Words

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