Anything contagious, such as the flu, is always automatically infectious: if you can catch it from someone, it's being passed to you via an infectious agent, which is the thing that gets you …

Jan 8, 2026 · How long is the flu contagious for? The CDC reports that people with the flu are most contagious during the first three days of their illness.

A contagious disease is an infectious disease that can be spread rapidly in several ways, including direct contact, indirect contact, and droplet contact. [1][2]

1. Of or relating to contagion. 2. Transmissible by direct or indirect contact; communicable: a contagious disease. 3. Capable of transmitting a disease: stayed at home until he was no longer contagious. 4. …

A contagious disease can be caught by touching someone who has the disease or by touching an infected object, or by an infected person coughing, sneezing, etc. near you:

You should probably postpone dinner if your date's cold is contagious — that means it's easily spread and likely to get you sick. Contagious actually evolved from contagio, the Latin phrase for “contact."

A feeling or attitude that is contagious spreads quickly among a group of people. Laughing is contagious. Antonio has a contagious enthusiasm for the beautiful aspect of food.

Definition of contagious adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Something contagious (such as a virus or bacteria) is spread from one person or animal to another by touching or by coming into contact with another person or animal's germs.

4 days ago · It usually takes 1-3 days to catch a cold from someone else. You are most contagious during the first few days of a cold. Proper hygiene can help you avoid a cold.