Infection in Different Languages
Discover 'Infection' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Infection: a single word that carries with it a world of significance. An infection occurs when an organism invades and grows inside the body, causing harmful effects. From the tiniest bacterium to the most complex virus, infections remind us of our vulnerability in the face of the microscopic world. Yet, they also highlight our resilience, as we continually develop new ways to combat and prevent these invasions.
The word 'infection' has cultural importance too. It's a central theme in countless novels, films, and plays, often symbolizing the spread of ideas, emotions, or societal ills. It's a word that transcends borders, making it a crucial addition to any global citizen's vocabulary.
Understanding the translation of 'infection' in different languages can open up new cultural perspectives. For instance, in Spanish, 'infection' is 'infección', in French, it's 'infection', and in German, it's 'Infektion'. Each language offers a unique take on this universal concept.
Stay tuned as we explore more translations of 'infection' in various languages, shedding light on the fascinating intersections of science, culture, and language.
Infection
Infection in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | infeksie | ||
| "Infeksie" in Afrikaans means infection in English, also relating to an "inval" meaning an invasion of a country, and to "infekteer" to infect or invade. | |||
| Amharic | ኢንፌክሽን | ||
| The word 'infection' comes from the Latin word 'infectio', meaning 'to taint or pollute'. | |||
| Hausa | kamuwa da cuta | ||
| The Hausa word "kamuwa da cuta" is also a metaphor for a social problem. | |||
| Igbo | ofufe ọrịa | ||
| The Igbo word “ofufe ọrịa” derives from “ofu,” meaning “something that causes harm or damage,” and “ọrịa,” meaning “sickness or disease.” | |||
| Malagasy | aretina | ||
| The word 'aretina' in Malagasy can also mean 'sickness', 'ailment' or 'complaint'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | matenda | ||
| The word 'matenda' in Nyanja (Chichewa) can also refer to 'disease' or 'sickness'. | |||
| Shona | hutachiona | ||
| The word “hutachiona” can also refer to a process of “soaking” or “letting something be immersed in liquid” | |||
| Somali | caabuq | ||
| The word "caabuq" also means "scab" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | tshwaetso | ||
| The word "tshwaetso" also means "sickness" and "disease" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | maambukizi | ||
| In Tanzania, the word "maambukizi" is also used in the broader sense of "infectious diseases". | |||
| Xhosa | usulelo | ||
| It derives from an onomatopoeic form, referring to the sound of a wound bursting open and the fluid contained inside it being released. | |||
| Yoruba | ikolu | ||
| The word "ikolu" in Yoruba can also refer to "disease" or "sickness". | |||
| Zulu | ukutheleleka | ||
| The word 'ukutheleleka' also means 'to spread' or 'to contaminate' in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | banayɛlɛma | ||
| Ewe | dɔdzedze | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kwandura | ||
| Lingala | maladi | ||
| Luganda | ekirwadde | ||
| Sepedi | phetetšo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nsaneɛ | ||
Infection in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عدوى | ||
| The Arabic word عدوى (ʿadwā) ultimately derives from the Proto-Semitic root ʿDW, meaning "to transmit", and also denotes "contagion", "pestilence", "transmission", and "slander". | |||
| Hebrew | הַדבָּקָה | ||
| The Hebrew word "הַדבָּקָה" (hadbakah) can also refer to "attachment" or "devotion." | |||
| Pashto | ناروغي | ||
| The word "ناروغي" (naroghī) in Pashto derives from the Persian "نار" (nār), meaning "fire" or "fever". | |||
| Arabic | عدوى | ||
| The Arabic word عدوى (ʿadwā) ultimately derives from the Proto-Semitic root ʿDW, meaning "to transmit", and also denotes "contagion", "pestilence", "transmission", and "slander". | |||
Infection in Western European Languages
| Albanian | infeksioni | ||
| The Albanian word "infeksioni" is derived from the Latin word "infectio", which means "to stain, defile, or pollute". | |||
| Basque | infekzioa | ||
| The Basque word "infekzioa" derives from the Latin word "infectio," meaning "stain" or "pollution." | |||
| Catalan | infecció | ||
| The word "infecció" in Catalan is a direct descendant of the Latin word "infectio," which could mean either "dye" or "poison." | |||
| Croatian | infekcija | ||
| The word infekcija is derived from the Latin word infectus, meaning “to stain” or “to taint”. | |||
| Danish | infektion | ||
| The Danish word "infektion" also means "affection" or "attachment", and is related to the words "infekte" (to infect) and "affekt" (emotion). | |||
| Dutch | infectie | ||
| The Dutch word "infectie" also refers to the process of dyeing a textile to provide a permanent colour. | |||
| English | infection | ||
| "Infection," from Latin "inficio," means both to inoculate and to stain, reflecting the long history of human efforts to ward off disease. | |||
| French | infection | ||
| Infection derives from Latin "inficere", meaning "to put in" or "to stain" | |||
| Frisian | ynfeksje | ||
| The Frisian word "ynfeksje" is cognate with the English word "infection", both derived from the Latin word "infectio", meaning "a putting in". | |||
| Galician | infección | ||
| German | infektion | ||
| The word "Infektion" comes from the Latin word "inficere", meaning "to stain" or "to dye." | |||
| Icelandic | sýkingu | ||
| The Icelandic word "sýkingu" is derived from the Old Norse word "sýki", which means "disease". | |||
| Irish | ionfhabhtú | ||
| The Irish word "ionfhabhtú" comes from the Irish "ionfhuaim" meaning "epidemic, plague" and "-adh" meaning "suffix or condition"} | |||
| Italian | infezione | ||
| The Italian word "infezione" derives from the Latin word "infectio," meaning "stain" or "dye," and refers to the process of introducing a foreign substance or organism into a body, often resulting in disease. | |||
| Luxembourgish | infektioun | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Infektioun" originated from the Latin word "infectus" meaning "contaminated" or "stained". | |||
| Maltese | infezzjoni | ||
| The Maltese word "infezzjoni" ultimately derives from the Latin word "infectio", meaning "to put in or dye" | |||
| Norwegian | infeksjon | ||
| The Norwegian word "infeksjon" derives from the Latin word "infectio", meaning "a putting in" or "staining", and is cognate with the English word "infection". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | infecção | ||
| The word "infecção" comes from Latin "infectiō, infectiōnis", which means "a polluting, poisoning" | |||
| Scots Gaelic | gabhaltachd | ||
| Gabhaltachd has the alternate meaning of 'infection' and is derived from the word 'gabhal,' meaning 'to catch'. | |||
| Spanish | infección | ||
| Infección can also mean 'affect' in Spanish and comes from the Latin verb inficere, 'to dip into,' especially poison dip. | |||
| Swedish | infektion | ||
| Infektion comes from Latin infectio, meaning staining or dyeing, and refers to disease spreading through a host like a stain. | |||
| Welsh | haint | ||
| In Welsh, 'haint' also means 'shadow' or 'spirit'. | |||
Infection in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | інфекцыя | ||
| The word "інфекцыя" is derived from the Latin word "infectio", which means "a staining" or "a dyeing". | |||
| Bosnian | infekcija | ||
| The word 'infekcija' in Bosnian comes from the Latin word 'infectio', meaning 'pollution' or 'stain'. | |||
| Bulgarian | инфекция | ||
| The word "инфекция" ("infection") is derived from the Latin word "infectio", which means "to stain". In Bulgarian, "инфекция" can also refer to a "stain" or a "spot". | |||
| Czech | infekce | ||
| The Czech word "infekce" derives from the Latin "infectio" or "inficere," meaning "to poison" or "to taint." | |||
| Estonian | infektsioon | ||
| The word "infektsioon" derives from the Latin word "infectio," meaning "a spreading." | |||
| Finnish | infektio | ||
| The Finnish word "infektio" is derived from the Latin word "infectio", meaning "to stain" or "to dye". | |||
| Hungarian | fertőzés | ||
| The Hungarian word "fertőzés" comes from the verb "fertőzni", which means "to infect, but also "to pollute, contaminate". | |||
| Latvian | infekcija | ||
| Etymology: From Russian "инфекция" (infektsiya), which in turn comes from Latin "infectio" (a staining, a poisoning) | |||
| Lithuanian | infekcija | ||
| The word "infekcija" in Lithuanian comes from the Latin word "infectio", meaning "a putting in" or "a poisoning". | |||
| Macedonian | инфекција | ||
| The word "инфекција" comes from the Latin word "infectio", which means "to taint" or "to spread". | |||
| Polish | infekcja | ||
| Infekcją nazywano również chorobę pasożytniczą w 18. wieku w języku polskim. | |||
| Romanian | infecţie | ||
| The Romanian word "infecţie" is derived from the Latin word "infectio", meaning "a staining" or "a contamination". | |||
| Russian | инфекционное заболевание | ||
| In Russian, "инфекционное заболевание" refers to contagious diseases specifically, whereas "заразная болезнь" is used for both contagious and non-contagious infectious diseases. | |||
| Serbian | инфекција | ||
| The word "инфекција" (infection) comes from the Latin word "infectio", which means "to pollute or stain". | |||
| Slovak | infekcie | ||
| The Slovak word "infekcie" is a cognate of the English word "infection" and they share the meaning of a disease communicated from one living being to another by germs. | |||
| Slovenian | okužba | ||
| "Okužba" is also colloquial for a person who infects others with negative emotions (e.g. anxiety, hatred). | |||
| Ukrainian | інфекція | ||
| The word "інфекція" can also mean "contamination" or "pollution" in Ukrainian. | |||
Infection in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সংক্রমণ | ||
| The word "সংক্রমণ" derives from the Sanskrit "samkranti" meaning "transition" or "change", and refers figuratively to the transfer of disease from one person to another. | |||
| Gujarati | ચેપ | ||
| The word "ચેપ" (infection) in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word "छेद" (to pierce) and can also refer to the act of piercing or the hole created by it. | |||
| Hindi | संक्रमण | ||
| In its Sanskrit origin, संक्रमण can also refer to the transition of power or the movement of a celestial body in astrology. | |||
| Kannada | ಸೋಂಕು | ||
| "ಸೋಂಕು" also means "sorrow", "touch", or "contagion". | |||
| Malayalam | അണുബാധ | ||
| "അണു" is used in Malayalam to mean "minute particle", from early Dravidian "*aṇu" "atom". | |||
| Marathi | संसर्ग | ||
| The Marathi word "संसर्ग" (infection) is derived from the Sanskrit word "संसर्ग" (contact), implying the transmission of disease through contact with an infected individual or object. | |||
| Nepali | संक्रमण | ||
| The word "संक्रमण" can also refer to a change or transition in state or condition. | |||
| Punjabi | ਲਾਗ | ||
| The origin of 'ਲਾਗ' in Punjabi is the Sanskrit word 'rāga', meaning 'dye', as 'rāgi' dyes the fabric of the body just as 'laga' dyes the mind and body. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ආසාදනය | ||
| The word 'ආසාදනය' can also mean 'attachment' or 'addiction' in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | தொற்று | ||
| The Tamil word 'தொற்று' can also refer to 'contagion', 'contamination', 'pollution', 'attachment', 'adhesion', or 'connection'. | |||
| Telugu | సంక్రమణ | ||
| "సంక్రమణ" is not only a medical term but also a term used in astrology when a planet moves from one zodiac sign to another. | |||
| Urdu | انفیکشن | ||
| The word "infection" in Urdu, "انفیکشن", can also refer to pollution or contamination. | |||
Infection in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 感染 | ||
| 感染, 指病原体入侵宿主并引起疾病的过程, 亦指思想, 感情, 风俗等在人群中的传播 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 感染 | ||
| "感染"在中文（繁体）中也可以指传播、沾染、影响等含义。 | |||
| Japanese | 感染 | ||
| The Japanese word "感染" (kansen) originally referred to the transmission of good luck, happiness, or illness. | |||
| Korean | 감염 | ||
| The word "감염" can also mean "infection in a computer system" or "infection in a group of people", similar to the English word "contagion". Korean movies such as "Train to Busan" often play with the dual meaning of "감염". | |||
| Mongolian | халдвар | ||
| The word "халдвар" is also used to refer to a type of disease that affects the intestines. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ရောဂါကူးစက် | ||
Infection in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | infeksi | ||
| The word "infeksi" in Indonesian is derived from the Dutch word "infectie" and can also mean "transmission" or "spread". | |||
| Javanese | infeksi | ||
| "Infeksi" also means "poisonous" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ការឆ្លងមេរោគ | ||
| Lao | ການຕິດເຊື້ອ | ||
| Malay | jangkitan | ||
| The word 'jangkitan' is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word for 'to strike'. | |||
| Thai | การติดเชื้อ | ||
| In addition to medical uses, "การติดเชื้อ" can also refer to a mental or emotional predisposition or bias. | |||
| Vietnamese | sự nhiễm trùng | ||
| "Sự nhiễm trùng" is an umbrella term for a number of biological processes, including microbial invasion and colonization, parasitic infestation, and allergic reactions. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | impeksyon | ||
Infection in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | infeksiya | ||
| "Infeksiya" (infection) derives from the Latin "infectio" (to taint), sharing a common root with "affect" | |||
| Kazakh | инфекция | ||
| "Инфекция" in Kazakh, comes from the Latin word "infectio", which means "dipping". The term "to dip" in the context refers to contaminating with a poison. It also has the alternate meaning "malady" or "disease". | |||
| Kyrgyz | инфекция | ||
| The word "инфекция" also refers to the contamination of a computer or network with a virus or other malicious software. | |||
| Tajik | сироят | ||
| The word "сироят" can also refer to "poison" or "venom" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | ýokaşma | ||
| Uzbek | infektsiya | ||
| Originally, the word "infektsiya" referred to a contagious disease or poison, but now it is used more broadly to mean any infection. | |||
| Uyghur | يۇقۇملىنىش | ||
Infection in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | maʻi maʻi | ||
| In Hawaiian, "maʻi maʻi" can also refer to a disease or sickness, and is possibly cognate with the Māori word "maimai" meaning "sick" or "ill."} | |||
| Maori | mate | ||
| The word "mate" in Maori also means "friend" or "companion".} | |||
| Samoan | faʻamaʻi | ||
| The term "faʻamaʻi" in Samoan is also used to describe the supernatural causation of illness, reflecting the traditional belief system's influence on health and healing. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | impeksyon | ||
| The word "impeksyon" comes from the Spanish word "infección", which also means "infection." | |||
Infection in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | piykatayasiwi | ||
| Guarani | ai | ||
Infection in International Languages
| Esperanto | infekto | ||
| In Esperanto, "infekto" can also refer to an unpleasant person or thing. | |||
| Latin | infectio | ||
| "Infectio" also refers to a dyeing or colouring process in Latin | |||
Infection in Others Languages
| Greek | μόλυνση | ||
| "Μόλυνση" ultimately derives from the Ancient Greek word "μιαίνω" meaning "to defile". It is also sometimes used in the related sense of "pollution" in Greek today. | |||
| Hmong | kis tau tus mob | ||
| "Kis tau tus mob" literally means "disease of the heart and intestines". | |||
| Kurdish | derbasî | ||
| The word 'derbasî' is also commonly used to describe 'pestilence' in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | enfeksiyon | ||
| The word "enfeksiyon" is derived from the Arabic word "inficere", meaning "to introduce". In Turkish, it can also refer to any kind of moral or spiritual contagion. | |||
| Xhosa | usulelo | ||
| It derives from an onomatopoeic form, referring to the sound of a wound bursting open and the fluid contained inside it being released. | |||
| Yiddish | ינפעקציע | ||
| In Yiddish, "ינפעקציע" can also mean "a nuisance" or "a bother"} | |||
| Zulu | ukutheleleka | ||
| The word 'ukutheleleka' also means 'to spread' or 'to contaminate' in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | ৰোগ বিয়পা অৱস্থা | ||
| Aymara | piykatayasiwi | ||
| Bhojpuri | संक्रमण | ||
| Dhivehi | އިންފެކްޝަން | ||
| Dogri | इनफ़ेक्शन | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | impeksyon | ||
| Guarani | ai | ||
| Ilocano | impeksion | ||
| Krio | sik we de prɛd | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نەخۆشی | ||
| Maithili | संक्रमण | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯍꯤꯛ ꯄꯛꯄ | ||
| Mizo | kaichhawng | ||
| Oromo | hubama | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସଂକ୍ରମଣ | ||
| Quechua | ratay | ||
| Sanskrit | संक्रमण | ||
| Tatar | инфекция | ||
| Tigrinya | ረኽሲ | ||
| Tsonga | tluleriwa | ||