How to Pronounce Contact Transmission
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Contact Transmission Pronunciation
KON-takt trans-MISH-un
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
KON
stress here
takt trans
MISH
stress here
un
4 syllables
What is Contact Transmission?
The spread of infection through direct physical contact with an infected person or indirect contact with contaminated objects (fomites). Examples include MRSA spread through touch in healthcare settings, impetigo spread by direct skin contact, and C. difficile transmitted via contaminated surfaces; hand hygiene and surface disinfection are key preventive measures.
Questions About Contact Transmission
How do you pronounce 'contact transmission'?
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Say it like this: KON-takt trans-MISH-un. The first word rhymes with 'want act,' and the second word sounds like 'trans' (rhymes with 'dance') plus 'MISH-un' (like 'mission' with a 'sh' sound). The stress falls on the first syllable of each word: KON and trans.
What is the stressed syllable in 'contact transmission'?
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In 'contact,' the stress is on the first syllable: KON-takt. In 'transmission,' the stress is also on the first syllable: trans-MISH-un. A common mistake is putting the stress in the wrong place, like saying 'con-TAKT' or 'trans-miss-ee-un,' but you want the emphasis at the beginning of each word.
How do you break 'contact transmission' into syllables?
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Break it like this: CON-takt trans-MISH-un. That's four syllables total. 'Contact' has two syllables, and 'transmission' has three syllables. Saying it slowly, one syllable at a time, helps you get the pronunciation right.
What does 'contact' mean in everyday English?
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'Contact' means touching something or coming close to someone. In 'contact transmission,' it refers to the spread of infection through physical touch or by touching contaminated objects—basically, when germs spread because people or things have made contact with each other.
What does 'transmission' mean?
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'Transmission' means the passing or spreading of something from one person or place to another. In medical language, 'transmission' is used to describe how infections move from one person to another or spread through an environment.
What is the plain-English meaning of 'contact transmission'?
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'Contact transmission' means an infection spreading through touch—either by touching a sick person directly or by touching something that an infected person touched. It's the spread of germs through physical contact or contaminated surfaces.
What word parts make up 'contact transmission'?
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'Contact' comes from Latin and means 'touching' or 'touching together.' 'Transmission' also comes from Latin and means 'to send across' or 'to pass along.' Together, they describe germs being passed along through touch or contact.
Can you use 'contact transmission' in a sentence?
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Here's an example: 'The doctor explained that the skin infection spread through contact transmission when the two patients touched.' This shows how the term describes the way an infection moves from one person to another through touching.
What is a related word that shares the same root as 'transmission'?
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'Transmit' is a related word that comes from the same Latin root. You might hear medical professionals say 'this infection is transmitted by contact,' which uses the verb form of transmission. Both words describe the same idea of spreading or passing something along.