contagion
- 01 C1 Advanced
the way that a feeling, an idea, or a way of behaving spreads quickly to other people.
the rapid transmission of an emotional state, attitude, or social behaviour through a population. Frequently used in sociological contexts to describe collective behaviour.
Simple“There was a contagion of fear throughout the crowd as the sirens grew louder.”
In context“Social media platforms can facilitate a rapid contagion of misinformation, making it difficult for authorities to provide accurate updates during a crisis.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
the way that a financial problem in one country or market quickly spreads to others.
the transmission of a financial shock or economic crisis from one market or region to others. Usually implies a systemic failure where local shocks trigger global instability.
Simple“Economists worried that the bank's failure would cause a contagion across the whole region.”
In context“Market analysts monitored the situation closely, fearing that the sovereign debt default in one nation would trigger a regional financial contagion.”
Synonymsspilloverripple effectAntonyms
“Psychologists call this social contagion: the spread of emotions, behaviours and beliefs through groups.”
From Middle English (late 14th century), from Old French, from Latin contāgiō (“a touching, contact, contagion”) related to contingō (“touch closely”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.