in ‧ fect /ɪnˈfekt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ infection , ↑ disinfectant ; adjective : ↑ infectious , ↑ infected ; verb : ↑ infect ≠ ↑ disinfect ; adverb : ↑ infectiously ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of inficere 'to dip in, stain' ]
1 . to give someone a disease:
People with the virus may feel perfectly well, but they can still infect others.
infect with
the number of people infected with HIV
2 . [usually passive] to make something contain something harmful that gives people a disease
infect with
Eggs known to be infected with salmonella were allowed to go on sale.
3 . if a feeling or interest that you have infects other people, it makes them begin to feel the same way or have the same interest:
Lucy’s enthusiasm soon infected the rest of the class.
4 . if a ↑ virus infects your computer or ↑ disk , it changes or destroys the information in or on it