1. Having qualities that may infect; communicable or caused by
infection; pestilential; epidemic; as, an infectious fever; infectious
clothing; infectious air; infectious vices.
Where the infectious pestilence.
Shak.
2. Corrupting, or tending to corrupt or contaminate; vitiating;
demoralizing.
It [the court] is necessary for the polishing of manners . . . but
it is infectious even to the best morals to live always in it.
Dryden.
3. (Law) Contaminating with illegality; exposing to seizure and
forfeiture.
Contraband articles are said to be of an infectious nature.
Kent.
4. Capable of being easily diffused or spread; sympathetic; readily
communicated; as, infectious mirth.
The laughter was so genuine as to be infectious.
W. Black.
Syn. -- See Contagious.
In*fec"tious*ly, adv. In an infectious manner. Shak.
In*fec"tious*ness, n. The quality of being infectious.
In*fect"ive (?), a. [L. infectivus pertaining to dyeing.] Infectious.
Beau. & Fl.
True love . . . hath an infective power.
Sir P. Sidney.
In*fec"und (?), a. [L. infecundus: cf. F. infécond. See In- not, and
Fecund.] Unfruitful; not producing young; barren; infertile. [Obs.]
Evelyn.
In`fe*cun"di*ty (?), n. [L. infecunditas: cf. F. infécondité.] Want of
fecundity or fruitfulness; barrenness; sterility; unproductiveness.
In`fe*cun"dous (?), a. [See Infecund.] Infertile; barren; unprofitable;
unproductive. [Obs.] Glanvill.
In*fee"ble (?), v. t. See Enfeeble.
In`fe*lic"i*tous (?), a. Not felicitous; unhappy; unfortunate; not
fortunate or appropriate in application; not well said, expressed, or
done; as, an infelicitous condition; an infelicitous remark; an
infelicitous description; infelicitous words.
In`fe*lic"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Infelicities (#). [L. infelicitas: cf. F.
infélicité. See In- not, and Felicity.]
1. The state or quality of being infelicitous; unhappiness; misery;
wretchedness; misfortune; want of suitableness or appropriateness. I.
Watts.
Whatever is the ignorance and infelicity of the present state, we
were made wise and happy.
Glanvill.
2. That (as an act, word, expression, etc.) which is infelicitous; as,
infelicities of speech.
In`fe*lo"ni*ous (?), a. Not felonious, malignant, or criminal. G.
Eliot.