non-contagious
Definition
- Adjective:
- Not capable of being transmitted from one person to another: "non-contagious" describes a disease, condition, or behavior that cannot be passed on through direct or indirect contact, such as through the air, touch, or bodily fluids. It is the opposite of "contagious."
Usage Examples
- (The rash could not be spread to others.)
- (Stress cannot be transmitted from person to person.)
- (These illnesses are not communicable.)
Advanced Usage
"non-contagious laughter": laughter that does not cause others to laugh in response.
- Her non-contagious laughter was quiet and personal, not shared by the group. (Her laughter did not spread to others.)
"non-contagious behavior": actions or habits that are not imitated or passed on.
- His habit of tapping his foot was non-contagious; no one else in the room began doing it. (The behavior did not spread to others.)
Variants and Related Words
Non-contagiously (adverb): in a manner that cannot be transmitted.
- The disease spread non-contagiously through genetic inheritance. (It was passed on only through genes, not contact.)
Non-contagiousness (noun): the quality or state of being non-contagious.
- The non-contagiousness of the virus was confirmed by laboratory tests. (The virus could not spread from person to person.)
Synonyms
- Non-communicable: not able to be transferred from one person to another.
- Non-infectious: not caused by or capable of causing infection.
- Non-transmissible: not able to be passed on.
Related Idioms
- Not catching: informal phrase meaning not contagious.
- Don't worry, my cold is not catching. (My cold cannot be spread to you.)
Phrasal Verbs
- None directly associated. "Non-contagious" is not used in phrasal verbs; it is a descriptive adjective.