3 syllables: in, fec, tive. Stress on fec.
in-FEK-tiv
/ˌɪˈnfɛktɪv/
infective is pronounced in-FEK-tiv (/ˌɪˈnfɛktɪv/). It has three syllables (in-fec-tive), with the stress on "fec". Infective is an adjective describing something capable of causing infection, or relating to infection. In a broader sense, it can mean easily catching or transmitting disease. The term appears in medical and microbiological contexts, and in rhetorical uses it can describe ideas or emotions that readily spread. It shares roots with infection and infectious, focusing on the capacity to transfer a pathogen or influence.
Infective is an adjective describing something capable of causing infection, or relating to infection. In a broader sense, it can mean easily catching or transmitting disease. The term appears in medical and microbiological contexts, and in rhetorical uses it can describe ideas or emotions that readily spread. It shares roots with infection and infectious, focusing on the capacity to transfer a pathogen or influence.
"The nurse explained that the patient’s wound was highly infective if not properly treated."
"Researchers studied the infective dose required to establish an illness in volunteers."
"The doctor warned that poor hygiene makes the bacteria highly infective."
Say it as /ɪnˈfɛk.tɪv/ (US). The stress falls on the second syllable: in-FECK-tiv. The first syllable is a reduced /ɪ/; the middle is a clear /f/ + /ɛ/ vowel; end with a light /v/ and an unstressed final /ɪv/ sound. In careful speech, keep the second syllable tense without producing extra schwa. You’ll hear it in medical voices as in-FECK-tive.
Two common errors: (1) stressing the first syllable: /ˈɪn.fɛk.tɪv/ instead of /ɪnˈfɛk.tɪv/; ensure the primary stress is on the second syllable. (2) Conflating with 'infectious' by elongating the second syllable or softening the /t/; keep a crisp /t/ between /k/ and /ɪ/ and avoid turning it into /ʃ/ or /s/. Practicing with minimal pairs like infective vs infectious helps solidify the stress and consonant boundaries.
US: /ɪnˈfɛk.tɪv/ with rhotic, flat /ɪ/ in first syllable; UK: /ɪnˈfek.tɪv/ with slightly shorter, crisper /e/; AU: /ɪnˈfɛk.tɪv/ or /ɪnˈfɪk.tɪv/ depending on speaker, tends toward tighter vowel space and slower diphthongs. Variation centers on the vowel in the second syllable ( /ɛ/ vs /e/ ), and the duration of the first syllable vowel; the /t/ remains a clear stop in all accents. Focus on keeping the second syllable stressed and the final /v/ voiced.
It challenges because of the tri-syllabic rhythm with a stressed second syllable, the consonant cluster at the boundary (/k/ + /t/) and the /v/ at the end—these can cause voicing and timing errors. The /ɪ/ vs /ɛ/ distinction in fast speech can blur; the short, crisp /t/ before a vowel can be mispronounced as a flap in some casual speech. Focusing on a clear /t/ and correct secondary stress helps.
A distinctive feature is the crisp, non-syllabic boundaries around the second syllable, with the /f/ acting as a hard labiodental fricative before the /ɛ/. The stress landing on the second syllable makes this a classic English two-stress pattern (unstressed- stressed- unstressed). Ensure the /t/ is released sharply before the final /ɪv/; avoid turning it into a /d/ or a soft stop. IPA guide helps anchor the exact articulation.
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Infective comes from the Latin infectivus, from infectus, meaning “moved into, befouled, infected,” and from the verb inficere “to stain, taint, contaminate” (in- “in, into” + facere “to do, make”). The root infect- derives from Latin infectus, historically linked to contagion and disease transmission. The suffix -ive forms adjectives indicating a quality or tendency. The word appears in English medical discourse by the 17th–18th centuries as part of a broader family with infection, infectious, and infect. Over time, infective specialized in implying the capacity to cause infection, rather than merely being infected. In modern usage, infective often appears in technical contexts (infective dose, infective agents), and in older texts may also describe ideas or influences that are easily spread, paralleling its sense of transmissibility.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "infective" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "infective" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "infective"
-ive sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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