epidemic

American  

[ep-i-dem-ik] / ˌɛp ɪˈdɛm ɪk /

adjective

1. Also epidemical (of a disease) affecting many persons at the same time, and spreading from person to person in a locality where the disease is not permanently prevalent.

2. extremely prevalent; widespread.

---

noun

• epidemics
  plural

1. a temporary prevalence of a disease.

2. a rapid spread or increase in the occurrence of something.

   an epidemic of riots.

epidemic British  

/ ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk /

adjective

1. (esp of a disease) attacking or affecting many persons simultaneously in a community or area

---

noun

1. a widespread occurrence of a disease

   an influenza epidemic

2. a rapid development, spread, or growth of something, esp something unpleasant

   an epidemic of strikes

epidemic Scientific  

/ ĕp′ĭ-dĕm′ĭk /

1. An outbreak of a disease or illness that spreads rapidly among individuals in an area or population at the same time.

2. See also endemic pandemic

---

epidemic Cultural  

1. A contagious disease that spreads rapidly and widely among the population in an area. Immunization and quarantine are two of the methods used to control an epidemic.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• epidemicity
  noun
• preepidemic
  noun
• interepidemic
  adjective
• epidemically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• epidemics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of epidemic

First recorded in 1595–1605; obsolete epidem(y) (from Late Latin epidēmia, from Greek epidēmía “staying in one place, among the people,” equivalent to epi- epi- + dêm(os) “people of a district” + -ia -y ³ ) + -ic

Explanation

An epidemic is a disease that spreads rapidly among many people in a community at the same time. In the 1980s, the fast-spreading AIDS epidemic transformed life on our planet. Epidemic can be used figuratively to refer to something that spreads or grows rapidly: an epidemic of laziness has taken over the tenth grade. This word is from French épidémique, ultimately from Greek epidēmia "staying in one place, among the people." The related word pandemic refers to a disease that spreads throughout an entire country or throughout the world.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

epidemic epidemics

The outbreak was already the fastest growing on record, UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said last week, warning that "the epidemic is killing someone every 30 minutes".

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

If successful, the strategy could eventually offer a new way to combat an HIV epidemic that still kills about 600,000 people worldwide every year.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026

The epidemic in DR Congo is now the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

That trip was orchestrated by Kerry Morrison, founder of Hollywood 4wrd, who was looking for answers to the epidemic of severe mental illness and homelessness.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

All in all it was a terrific month and right in the middle of it the influenza epidemic had to break out.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck

He advised each of the last seven U.S. presidents on new viral epidemics faced by the world, including multiple recurrences of Ebola, HIV/AIDS, Sars-CoV-1, H1N1 Influenza, Zika and then Sars-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

According to Barnes, this is actually quite typical, historically: “Societies forget epidemics quickly,” he said.

From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026

For many people, plague brings to mind rats, crowded medieval towns, and the devastating epidemics that spread across Europe during and after the Middle Ages.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2026

He said Yemenis would be "very vulnerable to epidemics" this year, warning: "A humanitarian crisis in Yemen is a risk to the Arabian Peninsula. Cholera, measles and polio cross borders."

From Barron's ● Jan. 19, 2026

Cholera, a deadly disease, had just reached England for the first time, and there were epidemics of typhus, typhoid fever, and scarlet fever.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Related Words

• contagion
• outbreak
• pest
• plague
• rash
• scourge
• spread
• wave