Dictionary

epidemic en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/
• audio

Etymology

From French épidémique, from épidémie, from Medieval Latin epidēmia, reanalysis of plural Late Latin epidēmia, from Ancient Greek ἐπιδήμιος (epidḗmios), from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + δῆμος (dêmos, “people”). By surface analysis, epi- (“on”) + demic (“of the people”).

Meanings

1. Of, related to, or being an epidemic: a widespread outbreak of disease in humans.
   • The tetany that was epidemic among slaved children was actually the result of severe calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D deficiency caused by chronic malnutrition. 2008, Harriet A. Washington, “Profitable Wonders”, in Medical Apartheid, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, page 62:
2. (figuratively) Like an epidemic: widespread in a bad way.
   • Epidemic hysteria occurred upon the incumbent’s reelection.
   • This was the stagecoach holdup, and while these encounters were not as epidemic as we like to remember, nonetheless there were numerous bands of "road agents" who lay by the roadside in wait for passengers. 2013, Frederick Allen, A Decent, Orderly Lynching: The Montana Vigilantes, page 8:
   • [In] May, there was, at London and in its neighbourhood, a disease very epidemic, though not fatal, which had some time before been very prevalent both in Italy and Germany. 1852, Annals of influenza or epidemic catarrhal fever in Great Britain, page 76:
   • The major reason for such an examination was to determine if any patterns uncovered seemed to be more epidemic than endemic. 1986, Gerald F. Pyle, The Diffusion of Influenza: Patterns and Paradigms, →ISBN, page 123:
   • This proportion increased about 5% from 1988 to 1992—hardly a change of epidemic proportions. 2003, James C. Howell, Preventing & Reducing Juvenile Delinquency: A Comprehensive Framework, SAGE Publications, →ISBN, page 19:

Forms

Coordinates

epizootic · enphytotic · panphytotic · epiphytotic · enzootic · endemic · pandemic · panzootic

Deriveds

ecoepidemic · epidemicity · epidemic threshold (Compound words and expressions) · endemoepidemic · hyperepidemic · epidemically · epidemic roseola (Compound words and expressions) · epidemic nephropathy (Compound words and expressions) · nonepidemic · epidemic polyarthritis (Compound words and expressions)

Relateds

ecdemic · enzootic · epizootic · epidemiology

Synonyms

extensive · ubiquitous · spread out · ubiquitous · systemic · pervasive · rife · common · universal · regnant · prevailing · widespread · prevalent · disseminated · predominant · common · far-flung

Translations (37)

fi kulkutaudinomainen (like an epidemic) · vi (thuộc) dịch (like an epidemic) · fi epideeminen (like an epidemic) · pl epidemiczny (like an epidemic) · es epidémico (like an epidemic) · nl epidemisch (like an epidemic) · be эпідэмі́чны (like an epidemic) · hu járványos (like an epidemic) · pl nagminny (like an epidemic) · hu járványszerű (like an epidemic) · eo epidemia (like an epidemic) · nn epidemisk (like an epidemic) · hu epidemikus (like an epidemic) · sh епидѐмӣјскӣ (like an epidemic) · la epidēmicus (like an epidemic) · ca epidèmic (like an epidemic) · yi עפּידעמיש (like an epidemic) · sh epidèmījskī (like an epidemic) · ro epidemic (like an epidemic) · it epidemico (like an epidemic) · el επιδημικός (like an epidemic) · da epidemisk (like an epidemic) · fr épidémique (like an epidemic) · nb epidemisk (like an epidemic) · ja 流行性 (like an epidemic) · de epidemisch (like an epidemic) · cs epidemický (like an epidemic) · hu epidémiás (like an epidemic) · uk епідемі́чний (like an epidemic) · sk epidemický (like an epidemic) · hu epidémikus (like an epidemic) · la epidēmiālis (like an epidemic) · ru эпидеми́ческий (like an epidemic) · oc epidemic (like an epidemic) · pt epidémico (like an epidemic) · pt epidêmico (like an epidemic) · ga eipidéimeach (like an epidemic)

epidemic en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/
• audio

Etymology

From French épidémique, from épidémie, from Medieval Latin epidēmia, reanalysis of plural Late Latin epidēmia, from Ancient Greek ἐπιδήμιος (epidḗmios), from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + δῆμος (dêmos, “people”). By surface analysis, epi- (“on”) + demic (“of the people”).

Meanings

1. A widespread disease that affects many humans in a population.
   • At that time, the city [Christiania, now Oslo] was in the grip of a cholera epidemic, and victims were dying at the rate of 60 a day. Bradshaw contracted the disease, and died on September 6 [1853]. 1950 January, “Notes and News: George Bradshaw's Grave”, in Railway Magazine, pages 61–62:
2. An occurrence of a disease or disorder in a human population at a frequency higher than that expected in a given time period; an episode of outbreak and subsequent high prevalence.
3. (broadly, colloquial) A heightened occurrence of anything harmful.
   • People are holding coordinated protests across UK towns and cities this weekend against what they call a “climate of fear” on the roads, and an “epidemic” of careless and dangerous driving that is curbing children’s freedoms and putting lives at risk. 2023 September 29, Laura Laker, “UK protests planned amid ‘epidemic’ of dangerous driving”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • Even before the pandemic, the United States surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, said the country was experiencing an “epidemic of loneliness,” driven by the accelerated pace of life and the spread of technology into all of our social interactions. 2022 April 20, John Leland, quoting Vivek Murthy, “How Loneliness Is Damaging Our Health”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
4. (figuratively) The spreading of an idea or belief amongst a population.
   • Lord Avonleigh was at once liberated from his imprisonment, well prepared to be considered, and to consider himself, a martyr to the cause of loyalty; and as the services of the rich nobleman,...his claims to notice and favour were most graciously acknowledged. Accordingly, he returned to his seat in a little fever of royal devotedness—it was the fashionable epidemic; and who coming from Whitehall could be without it? 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, pages 98–99:

Forms

Coordinates

panzootic · pandemic · endemic · epizootic · enzootic · epiphytotic · enphytotic

Deriveds

preepidemic · syndemic · microepidemic · subepidemic · epicurve · midepidemic · pseudoepidemic · epidemic curve · panepidemic · hyperepidemic · infodemic · epidemiclike · post-epidemic · virgin soil epidemic · antiepidemic · postepidemic · iatroepidemic · interepidemic · pre-epidemic

Relateds

tripledemic · pandemic · tridemic · ecdemic · pestilence · murrain · twindemic · quademic · endemic

Translations (167)

ko 유행병 (widespread disease) · my ကပ်နာ (widespread disease) · cs epidemie (occurrence of such disease) · ja 疫 (widespread disease) · cmn 瘟疫 (widespread disease) · be по́шасьць (widespread disease) · ar وَبَاء (occurrence of such disease) · pl epidemia (widespread disease) · fr épidémie (widespread disease) · lo ພະຍຸ (widespread disease) · az epidemiya (widespread disease) · be эпідэ́мія (occurrence of such disease) · cmn 流行病 (widespread disease) · yi עפּידעמיע (widespread disease) · ja エピデミック (widespread disease) · vi dịch (occurrence of such disease) · mi mate urutā (widespread disease) · kk індет (widespread disease) · hu népbetegség (widespread disease) · de Epidemie (widespread disease) · ckb ئاھۆ (widespread disease) · ky эпидемия (widespread disease) · tg эпидемия (widespread disease) · uk по́шесть (occurrence of such disease) · uk по́шесть (widespread disease) · mn тахал (widespread disease) · fa-ira مَرْگامَرْگی (widespread disease) · sh epidèmija (widespread disease) · yue 流行病 (widespread disease) · mk епидемија (widespread disease) · ko 류행병 (widespread disease) · wa minêye (widespread disease) · nl epidemie (occurrence of such disease) · el επιδημία (widespread disease) · kk эпидемия (widespread disease) · ro epidemie (widespread disease) · nn epidemi (occurrence of such disease) · pa ਵਬਾਅ (widespread disease) · su pagebug (widespread disease) · hi वबा (widespread disease) · id wabah (widespread disease) · sk epidémia (occurrence of such disease) · grc ἐπιδήμιος (widespread disease) · ko 유행병 (occurrence of such disease) · tg ҳамагирӣ (widespread disease) · nb farsott (widespread disease) · da epidemi (widespread disease) · la luēs (occurrence of such disease) · fa-ira هَمِهگیری (widespread disease) · ko 류행병 (occurrence of such disease) · sh pȍšāst (widespread disease) · uk епіде́мія (occurrence of such disease) · is farsótt (widespread disease) · uz epidemiya (widespread disease) · fi epidemia (occurrence of such disease) · it epidemia (widespread disease) · sw epidemiki (widespread disease) · sh rednja (widespread disease) · ca epidèmia (occurrence of such disease) · be эпідэ́мія (widespread disease) · oc epidèmia (occurrence of such disease) · be по́шасць (occurrence of such disease) · nb farsott (occurrence of such disease) · tl epidemya (widespread disease) · sv epidemi (occurrence of such disease) · oc epidèmia (widespread disease) · rsk епидемия (widespread disease) · be по́шасць (widespread disease) · sh по̏ша̄ст (widespread disease) · gl andazo (widespread disease) · ja 疫病 (widespread disease) · hu járvány (widespread disease) · cy epidemig (widespread disease) · la luēs (widespread disease) · fr épidémie (occurrence of such disease) · ca epidèmia (widespread disease) · hy համաճարակ (widespread disease) · ru эпиде́мия (widespread disease) · tr epidemi (widespread disease) · id epidemi (widespread disease) · ml മഹാമാരി (widespread disease) · tr salgın (widespread disease) · sv farsot (widespread disease) · uz vabo (widespread disease) · es epidemia (widespread disease) · ar أَوْبِئَة (widespread disease) · cy epidemig (occurrence of such disease) · ja 伝染病 (widespread disease) · fi kulkutauti (widespread disease) · lo ໂລກລະບາດ (widespread disease) · wa piyintche (widespread disease) · ka ეპიდემია (widespread disease) · cs epidemie (widespread disease) · ko 전염병 (widespread disease) · lt epidemija (widespread disease) · de Seuche (widespread disease) · nn epidemi (widespread disease) · sh епидѐмија (widespread disease) · ckb پەتا (widespread disease) · niv таӽ (widespread disease) · uk епіде́мія (widespread disease) · ms wabak (widespread disease) · fi epidemia (widespread disease) · ug ۋابا (widespread disease) · he מַגֵּפָה (widespread disease) · kmr epîdemî (widespread disease) · tt эпидемия (widespread disease) · nl epidemie (widespread disease) · af epidemie (widespread disease) · lv epidēmija (widespread disease) · hy էպիդեմիա (widespread disease) · tg вабо (widespread disease) · st sewa (widespread disease) · sh редња (widespread disease) · ko 역병 (widespread disease) · nv naałniih (widespread disease) · th โรคระบาด (widespread disease) · bn মহামারী (widespread disease) · nb epidemi (occurrence of such disease) · okm 시긧벼ᇰ〯 (widespread disease) · sl epidemija (widespread disease) · rue епіде́мія (widespread disease) · hu epidémia (occurrence of such disease) · fa-ira وَبا (widespread disease) · ur وَبا (widespread disease) · fa-ira اِپیدِمی (widespread disease) · et taud (widespread disease) · gl epidemia (occurrence of such disease) · bg епиде́мия (widespread disease) · el επιδημία (occurrence of such disease) · oc epidemia (widespread disease) · la epidēmia (widespread disease) · es epidemia (occurrence of such disease) · nb epidemi (widespread disease) · ga eipidéim (widespread disease) · sh епидѐмија (occurrence of such disease) · ms epidemi (widespread disease) · ar وَبَاء (widespread disease) · tl salot (widespread disease) · ga eipidéim (occurrence of such disease) · be по́шасьць (occurrence of such disease) · ja 流行病 (widespread disease) · mi urutā (widespread disease) · sq epidemi (widespread disease) · km ជម្ងឺរាល (widespread disease) · yue 瘟疫 (widespread disease) · pt epidemia (occurrence of such disease) · ja 流行病 (occurrence of such disease) · ja エピデミック (occurrence of such disease) · tk epidemiýa (widespread disease) · sk epidémia (widespread disease) · ks وَبا (widespread disease) · sv epidemi (widespread disease) · pt epidemia (widespread disease) · hu járvány (occurrence of such disease) · vi bệnh dịch (widespread disease) · ru эпиде́мия (occurrence of such disease) · sh epidèmija (occurrence of such disease) · oc epidemia (occurrence of such disease) · et epideemia (widespread disease) · ps وبا (widespread disease) · hi महामारी (widespread disease) · is faraldur (widespread disease) · pl epidemia (occurrence of such disease) · ko 에피데믹 (widespread disease) · fur epidemie (widespread disease) · gl epidemia (widespread disease)