# contagion

> English word · Noun · IPA /kənˈteɪd͡ʒən/ · frequency rank #27,788

## Definitions
1. A disease spread by contact.
2. The spread or transmission of such a disease.
3. The spread of anything likened to a contagious disease.
4. The spread of anything likened to a contagious disease.
5. A recession or crisis developed in such manner.

## Etymology
From Middle English (late 14th century), from Old French, from Latin contāgiō (“a touching, contact, contagion”) related to contingō (“touch closely”).

## Easily confused with
- **contain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contagion-vs-contain)
- **contagious** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contagion-vs-contagious)

## Common misspellings (13)
`ccontagion`, `cnotagion`, `conatgion`, `conntagion`, `contaggion`, `contagino`, `contagionn`, `contagoin`, `contaigon`, `contgaion`, `conttagion`, `cotnagion`, `ocntagion`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/contagion