## Meanings
1. The spread of a disease from one person to another by close contact.
2. The fast spread of an idea, feeling, or panic through a group of people.

## Examples
- Strict hygiene rules were introduced to prevent the contagion from spreading further.
- Fear spread through the crowd like a contagion.

## Derived Forms
- anticontagion
- contagiogram
- contagioned
- contagionism
- contagionist
- noncontagion

## Related Forms
- contagious
- quarantine

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *teh₂g-
- Root: contāgiō

## Etymology
From Middle English (late 14th century), from Old French, from Latin contāgiō (“a touching, contact, contagion”) related to contingō (“touch closely”).

## AI Etymology
Contagion is from Middle English (late 14th century), from Old French, from Latin contāgiō (“a touching, contact, contagion”) related to contingō (“touch closely”). Important recorded forms include *teh₂g- (Proto-Indo-European) and contāgiō (Latin). Current senses include the spread of a disease from one person to another by close contact and the fast spread of an idea, feeling, or panic through a group of people. The wider family includes derived forms such as anticontagion, contagiogram, contagioned, contagionism, and contagionist; related words such as contagious and quarantine.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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