die Infektion, -en

Meaning (in English)

Infektion means infection: the invasion and multiplication of pathogens (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites) in the body, which can lead to illness.
It can refer both to:

• the process of becoming infected (sich infizieren), and
• the resulting illness/condition (e.g., eine Infektion der Atemwege).

In broader contexts (e.g., computers), it can also mean infection/contamination in the sense of a system being infected (e.g., by malware), though the medical meaning is most common.

Word parts

• infizier- (from infizieren = “to infect”; ultimately from Latin infectio “infection, dyeing/tainting”)
• -tion (a noun-forming suffix often used for processes or results, like in Operation, Situation)

So Infektion literally denotes the act/process or result of infecting.

German synonyms

Depending on context:

• Ansteckung (often “contagion,” emphasis on catching it from others)
• Erkrankung (more general: illness/disease)
• Entzündung (inflammation; not the same, but sometimes loosely used in everyday speech)
• Kontamination / Verunreinigung (contamination; more technical, not necessarily medical infection)

German antonyms (if applicable)

Direct opposites are context-dependent, but common contrasts include:

• Gesundheit (health)
• Genesung (recovery)
• Immunität (immunity)
• Sterilität / Keimfreiheit (sterility / absence of germs; in hygiene/medical settings)