infection

(noun) the pathological state resulting from the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms.

(noun) (phonetics) the alteration of a speech sound under the influence of a neighboring sound.

(noun) (medicine) the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms and their multiplication which can lead to tissue damage and disease.

(noun) an incident in which an infectious disease is transmitted. Synonyms: contagion, transmission.

(noun) the communication of an attitude or emotional state among a number of people. Synonyms: contagion. Examples: "A contagion of mirth." "The infection of his enthusiasm for poetry."

(noun) moral corruption or contamination. Example: "Ambitious men are led astray by an infection that is almost unavoidable."

(noun) (international law) illegality that taints or contaminates a ship or cargo rendering it liable to seizure.