con ‧ ta ‧ gion /kənˈteɪdʒ ə n/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Latin contagio , from contingere ; ⇨ ↑ contingent 1 ]
1 . [uncountable] technical a situation in which a disease is spread by people touching each other:
There is some danger of contagion.
2 . [countable] technical a disease that can be passed from person to person by touch
3 . [singular] formal a feeling or attitude that spreads quickly between people or places:
a contagion of fear spread from city to city