the communication of disease by direct or indirect contact.
a disease so communicated.
the medium by which a contagious disease is transmitted.
harmful or undesirable contact or influence.
the ready transmission or spread as of an idea or emotion from person to person: a contagion of fear.
Origin of contagion
1350–1400; Middle English (<Middle French ) <Latin contāgiōn- (stem of contāgiō) contact, infection, equivalent to con-con- + tāg- (variant stem of tangere to touch) + -iōn--ion; cf. contact
Standard vaccine studies involve thousands of participants, must recruit in areas where contagion is naturally high, and typically take months or even years as researchers wait to see how many people contract the disease.
UK scientists are pushing for the world’s first coronavirus challenge trials|Olivia Goldhill|September 24, 2020|Quartz
Facing flare-ups from late June through August that were sometimes higher than the initial spread of contagion, countries initially refrained from blanket orders.
As infection rates rise, Europe embraces a ‘lockdown lite’ strategy|kdunn6|September 24, 2020|Fortune
The World Health Organization acknowledged the airborne spread of particles in July and hundreds of scientists have written about this form of contagion.
With every reversal of Covid-19 guidance, the CDC is losing the battle for public trust|Olivia Goldhill|September 22, 2020|Quartz
Hungary’s decision to close its borders is based on its own “traffic light system” for contagion risk, which currently shows Hungary as green and everyone else as red.
As Europe’s COVID-19 numbers rise, Hungary becomes first EU country to reimpose blanket border restrictions|David Meyer|September 1, 2020|Fortune
There are a lot of upsides to urban density — but viral contagion is not one of them.
What Does Covid-19 Mean for Cities (and Marriages)? (Ep. 410)|Stephen J. Dubner|March 26, 2020|Freakonomics
In addition, the protests had been largely contained to very specific areas and the fear of contagion never materialized.
Police Brutality Inflames Hong Kong|Ben Leung|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As scary as contagion can seem, nobody should be panicking, no matter which virus happens to be making the headlines.
What You Need to Know About Enterovirus|Russell Saunders|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Further, the contagion effect of suicide and the resultant attention to it is a well-documented phenomenon.
'Genie, You're Free': Suicide Is Not Liberation|Russell Saunders|August 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But although desire cannot be imparted by argument, it can be by contagion.
The Real Memorial Day: Oliver Wendell Holmes's Salute To A Momentous American Anniversary|Malcolm Jones|May 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In fact, we have been inoculated from the experience of contagion.
When TB Was a Death Sentence: An Excerpt From ‘The Remedy’|Thomas Goetz|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Contagion is a phenomenon of which it is easy to establish the presence, but that it is not easy to explain.
Group Psychology and The Analysis of The Ego|Sigmund Freud
There may be a contagion of hate as there is a contagion of smallpox; I do not know, but I hardly believe it.
The Terror|Arthur Machen
Hogs, however well and properly kept, will occasionally become affected with this disease from contagion.
Sheep, Swine, and Poultry|Robert Jennings
This contagion may surpass that of pbrine itself as regards duration.
Louis Pasteur|Ren Vallery-Radot
And here he was, holding in his hand four fresh and unmistakable signs that the contagion was spreading.
Anderson Crow, Detective|George Barr McCutcheon
British Dictionary definitions for contagion
contagion
/ (kənˈteɪdʒən) /
noun
the transmission of disease from one person to another by direct or indirect contact
a contagious disease
another name for contagium
a corrupting or harmful influence that tends to spread; pollutant
the spreading of an emotional or mental state among a number of peoplethe contagion of mirth
Word Origin for contagion
C14: from Latin contāgiō a touching, infection, from contingere; see contact