communicable

[kuh-myoo-ni-kuh-buhl]

adjective

1. capable of being easily communicated or transmitted.

   communicable information; a communicable disease.

2. talkative; communicative.

communicable

/ kəˈmjuːnɪkəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being communicated

2. (of a disease or its causative agent) capable of being passed on readily

communicable

1. Capable of being transmitted from a person or animal to another person or animal, either through direct or indirect transmission, including insect or other vectors. Chickenpox is a communicable disease.

Other Word Forms

• communicability noun
• communicableness noun
• communicably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of communicable¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin commūnicābilis, equivalent to commūnicā ( re ) ( communicate ) + -bilis -ble

Example Sentences

But, he said, getting a cohort of unvaccinated children together puts them in danger of contracting communicable disease.

From Los Angeles Times

Such issues include communicable diseases, water management and renewable energy.

From Salon

The improvements were due primarily to decreasing deaths from communicable diseases — at least one of which declined by 99 percent.

From Salon

"Vaccines are always our best defence against infectious, communicable diseases," adds Dr Williams.

From BBC

“We have had multiple dairies refuse a site visit,” wrote the communicable disease program manager in Weld, Colorado, in a July 2 email.

From Salon