infected
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /ɪnˈfɛktɪd/
KK: /ɪnˈfɛktɪd/
adjective
Definition
Describing something that has been affected by a disease or harmful organism.
Example
The doctor confirmed that the wound was infected and needed treatment.
Conversation
Have you heard about the flu going around?
Yeah, I heard it’s really bad this year.
I hope I don’t end up with an infected throat like last time.
Same here! I’ll make sure to wash my hands a lot.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
contaminated
tainted
diseased
Antonyms
healthy
clean
uninfected
verb
Definition
To have caused a disease or illness to spread to someone or something.
Example
The doctor confirmed that the patient had been infected with a virus.
Tense Forms
Past: infected
Past Participle: infected
Conversation
Did you hear that the flu virus has infected a lot of people this season?
Yeah, I read about it online; it sounds pretty serious.
I hope I don't get infected because I have a big exam coming up.
Root Explanation
Infected → It is formed from "in-" (meaning into or upon) and "facere" (meaning to make or do). The word "infected" describes the state of being made ill or contaminated by a disease or pathogen.
Memory Tip
Think of something being made ill or contaminated when something harmful is introduced 'into' it — 'in-' means into, and 'facere' means to make.
Visually Confused Words
inflected
uninfected
invected
insected
uninflected
noninfected
infarcted
biflected