catching
UK: ˈkætʃɪŋ | US: ˈkætʃɪŋ
adj. 1. (of a disease) contagious; capable of being transmitted.
adj. 2. attractive or captivating.
v. (present participle of catch) 1. intercepting and holding something moving.
The word catching derives from the verb catch, which originated from Old Northern French cachier ("to chase, capture"), itself from Vulgar Latin captiare (a variant of captare, meaning "to seize"). The suffix -ing is a productive English suffix used to form present participles or gerunds. The dual meanings—literal interception and metaphorical attractiveness—reflect the word's evolution from physical action to abstract quality.
Her enthusiasm was so catching that everyone joined the dance.
The doctor confirmed the illness was highly catching.
He practiced catching the ball with one hand.
The novel’s plot was catching from the first chapter.
Catching errors early saves time in the long run.