What does infected mean?
Infected describes a person, organism, object, or digital system that has been affected by something harmful. Its most common medical sense refers to the presence of disease-causing microorganisms in the body or on a surface: an infected wound may contain bacteria, while an infected plant has been exposed to a pathogen. The term also has a computing sense for files, devices, or networks affected by malicious software. Figuratively, an influence may be described as infecting a person, group, or institution, suggesting that corruption or enthusiasm has spread through it. As a verb form, infected is the past tense and past participle of infect. The word is formal and widely understood in British and American English, although its figurative use can range from humorous to strongly condemnatory depending on context.
Affected by a disease or harmful microorganisms; containing harmful software; or figuratively corrupted by an undesirable influence.
"The hospital isolated the infected patients to prevent further transmission."
The computing and figurative uses are established extensions of the medical sense.
In the past tense and past participle of infect, transmitted a disease or harmful influence to someone or something.
"A corrupted download infected several computers on the network."
Infected is the simple past tense and past participle; the active form is infected by, as in “infected by the virus.”
A computer can be infected, but the infection that does the damage is not itself a virus—it is the malicious code the virus delivers.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does infected come from?
The word derives ultimately from Latin inficere, formed from in- and facere, both meaning “in” or “into” and “to make,” and originally meaning “to poison” or “taint.” English adopted the form infect in the 16th century, and infected developed as its past tense and past participle before becoming established as an adjective. Related English forms include infection, infectious, and infective, all sharing the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How infected is actually used
In medical contexts, infected is usually used of people, animals, plants, tissues, or places that harbour a pathogen. In computing, it commonly describes files, systems, or devices affected by malware. The figurative senses can be neutral, as with enthusiasm, or strongly disapproving, as with corruption.
Easily confused with infected
Infected describes something that has already contracted or contains a harmful agent, whereas infectious describes something capable of being transmitted to others.