non-infectiousness
|non-in-fec-tious-ness|
🇺🇸
/ˌnɑnɪnˈfɛkʃəsnəs/
🇬🇧
/ˌnɒnɪnˈfɛkʃəsnəs/
not able to spread disease
Etymology
'non-infectiousness' originates from Modern English, formed by the negative prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non' meaning 'not') attached to 'infectiousness', which ultimately derives from Latin 'infectiosus'.
'infectiosus' changed into Old French 'infectieux', later into Middle English 'infectious', which produced the Modern English noun 'infectiousness'; the negative prefix 'non-' was then added in Modern English to form 'non-infectiousness'.
Initially the Latin root referred to 'tainting' or 'causing infection' ('infectiosus' meaning causing contamination), and over time the sense narrowed to 'capable of transmitting disease'; 'non-infectiousness' now denotes the absence of that capability.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of not being infectious; the absence of the ability to transmit infection to others.
The patient's non-infectiousness was confirmed by repeated negative cultures, and they were allowed to leave isolation.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/23 00:11