infect
UK: ɪnˈfɛkt | US: ɪnˈfɛkt
vt. to contaminate with a disease or harmful agent
vt. to influence negatively; corrupt
vt. (computing) to introduce malicious code into a system
infect = in<into> + fect<make/do>
- in (Latin: "into") → Indicates direction or penetration.
- fect (from Latin facere, "to make/do") → Implies action or causation.
Etymology Origin:
The word "infect" originates from Latin inficere ("to stain, poison, or corrupt"), combining in- (into) and facere (to make/do). It originally described the literal act of introducing a harmful substance (e.g., poison or disease) into something. Over time, its meaning expanded metaphorically to include moral corruption and, in modern contexts, digital contamination (e.g., viruses). The core logic revolves around the idea of "making something harmful from within."
The virus can infect humans through direct contact.
His pessimistic attitude began to infect the entire team.
Hackers infected the network with ransomware.
Contaminated water may infect crops with bacteria.
The malware silently infected thousands of devices.