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

/ kə-myo̅o̅′nĭ-kə-bəl /

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.

Derived Forms

• comˌmunicaˈbility, noun
• comˈmunicably, adverb

Other Word Forms

• com·muni·ca·bili·ty com·muni·ca·ble·ness noun
• com·muni·ca·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of communicable¹

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

Example Sentences

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

Head lice used to be listed as a communicable disease, and had to report it to the Health Department, King added.

From Salon