contagious vs infectious
contagious
Definitions
adjective
- easily diffused or spread as from one person to another
- (of disease) capable of being transmitted by infection
Examples
Poverty is something that is contagious and infectious in our community.
Scarlet fever is highly contagious.
Half-an-hour later they were launching the canoe and loading up, while the storekeeper made jocular remarks about poor, weak mortals and the contagiousness of "stampedin 'fever.
infectious
Definitions
adjective
- caused by infection or capable of causing infection
- easily spread
- of or relating to infection
Examples
Poverty is something that is contagious and infectious in our community.
Poor sanitation always leads to the spread of disease and to deaths from infectious diseases.
The songs are irritatingly infectious with enough angst to keep the moodiest teenagers frowning.
