infective
adjective
in·fec·tive in-ˈfek-tiv 
: infectious:
a
: producing or capable of producing or transmitting infection
… infective oocysts are ingested with contaminated feed or water.
Douglas N. Stern
Douglas N. SternAffected cats not yet showing signs of illness may shed the virus and be infective to other cats … Cat Fancy
Cat Fancy b
: caused by or resulting from an infection with one or more pathogenic agents
infective bacterial endocarditis
c
: affecting others : spreading easily to others
Different teachers will demonstrate different skills and strengths. Some will have … an infective enthusiasm for their own subject. Jonathan Glazzard et al.
Jonathan Glazzard et al.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The company is building technology to help discover anti-infective drugs. Casey Ross, STAT, 10 Mar. 2022 Providing pipes could be an important tool for reducing HIV and HCV outbreaks, and growing problems related to bacterial infections, sepsis, and infective endocarditis in the US. Ricky Blumenthal, Essence, 23 Feb. 2022 Much as for antibiotics, the commercial market for anti-infective antibodies has essentially failed. Laura Defrancesco, Scientific American, 6 Jan. 2022 But a University of Hong Kong study found that Omicron is less than one-tenth as infective in lung cells compared with the Delta variant. Marty Makary, WSJ, 21 Dec. 2021 Antimicrobial resistance — the process by which bacteria, fungi, and other microbes become immune to the effects of drugs designed to kill them — happens every time someone takes an antibiotic or other anti-infective drug. Patrick Skerrett, STAT, 8 Apr. 2021 Kerala's containment of the first wave also means a higher share of its population is without antibodies and therefore vulnerable to the highly-infective Delta variant, says John. Biman Mukherji, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2021 Vaccines have been the big winners, but there were some gains for anti-infective therapies as well. Peter Bak, STAT, 28 Apr. 2021 But scientists hypothesize that a combination of habitat change, pesticide exposure and the emergence of infective chytrid fungus led to their demise. Douglas Main, Scientific American, 13 Dec. 2012 See More
Casey Ross, STAT, 10 Mar. 2022 Providing pipes could be an important tool for reducing HIV and HCV outbreaks, and growing problems related to bacterial infections, sepsis, and infective endocarditis in the US. Ricky Blumenthal, Essence, 23 Feb. 2022 Much as for antibiotics, the commercial market for anti-infective antibodies has essentially failed. Laura Defrancesco, Scientific American, 6 Jan. 2022 But a University of Hong Kong study found that Omicron is less than one-tenth as infective in lung cells compared with the Delta variant. Marty Makary, WSJ, 21 Dec. 2021 Antimicrobial resistance — the process by which bacteria, fungi, and other microbes become immune to the effects of drugs designed to kill them — happens every time someone takes an antibiotic or other anti-infective drug. Patrick Skerrett, STAT, 8 Apr. 2021 Kerala's containment of the first wave also means a higher share of its population is without antibodies and therefore vulnerable to the highly-infective Delta variant, says John. Biman Mukherji, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2021 Vaccines have been the big winners, but there were some gains for anti-infective therapies as well. Peter Bak, STAT, 28 Apr. 2021 But scientists hypothesize that a combination of habitat change, pesticide exposure and the emergence of infective chytrid fungus led to their demise. Douglas Main, Scientific American, 13 Dec. 2012 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English infectif "causing disease, infectious," borrowed from Medieval Latin infectīvus "infectious, poisonous" (Latin, "used for dyeing"), from Latin infectus, past participle of inficere "to dye, discolor, taint, contaminate with disease" + -īvus -ive — more at infect
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing infective
Medical Definition
infective
adjective
in·fec·tive in-ˈfek-tiv
: infectious:
a
: producing or capable of producing or transmitting infection
… infective oocysts are ingested with contaminated feed or water. Douglas N. Stern
Douglas N. Stern… a strain of bacteria which forms spores that can remain infective for as long as fifty years. Sue Hubbell
Sue HubbellAffected cats not yet showing signs of illness may shed the virus and be infective to other cats … Cat Fancy
Cat Fancy b
: caused by or resulting from an infection with one or more pathogenic agents
infective bacterial endocarditis
infective
adjective
as in infectious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- infectious
- communicable
- transmissible
- contagious
- catching
- transmittable
- pestilent
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- noninfectious
- noncommunicable