infection in WordNet English dictionary

1. the communication of an attitude or emotional state among a number of people
   "a contagion of mirth"; "the infection of his enthusiasm for poetry"
   contagion  infection 
   
2. an incident in which an infectious disease is transmitted
   infection  contagion  transmission 
   
3. moral corruption or contamination
   "ambitious men are led astray by an infection that is almost unavoidable"
   infection 
   
4. (international law) illegality that taints or contaminates a ship or cargo rendering it liable to seizure
   infection 
   
5. (medicine) the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms and their multiplication which can lead to tissue damage and disease
   infection 
   
6. (phonetics) the alteration of a speech sound under the influence of a neighboring sound
   infection 
   
7. the pathological state resulting from the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms
   infection