transmissible

This term carries a clinical and technical weight, primarily appearing in medical, biological, and technical discourse. It describes the inherent capacity of an agent to move across a boundary, whether that boundary is between two biological hosts or between two data storage systems. While similar to "contagious," transmissible is broader and more neutral, focusing on the possibility of transfer rather than the speed or ease of an outbreak.

In a genetic context, the word shifts from a description of infection to a description of inheritance. It denotes the biological mechanism by which specific traits are passed down through generations. This usage is strictly scientific and lacks the urgency associated with epidemiological contexts.