infect
UK[ɪnˈfɛkt]US[ɪnˈfɛkt]
v
To cause someone or something to have a disease or illness, often caused by bacteria or a virus.
v
To affect something with a computer virus or other malicious software.
v
To make someone feel or share a particular emotion or idea.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
fect
in
in, into
fect
make, do
Etymology
The word 'infect' originates from the Latin verb inficere, which is a compound of the prefix in- (meaning "in, into") and the verb facere (meaning "to make, to do"). The literal sense was "to put in, to dip in, to stain," often referring to the process of dyeing or tainting something. In medical Latin, this concept of "staining" or "tainting" evolved to specifically describe the process of tainting the body with disease. This semantic shift from a general act of staining to the specific act of introducing a pathogen into an organism illustrates how the abstract logic of "putting something (a harmful agent) into" a substance or body became the modern meaning of causing infection.
Analysis
Structure: in (in, into) + fect (make, do)
- in: A Latin prefix meaning "in, into, on, upon." It functions as an intensifier or directional element.
- fect: A reduced form of the Latin root facere, meaning "to make, to do." It functions as the core semantic root.
Examples
The contaminated water can infect the entire population.
Be careful not to open email attachments that could infect your computer.
Her enthusiasm began to infect everyone in the room, lifting their spirits.