pandemic

American  

[pan-dem-ik] / pænˈdɛm ɪk /

adjective

1. (of a disease) prevalent throughout an entire country, continent, or the whole world; epidemic over a large area.

2. general; universal.

   pandemic fear of atomic war.

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noun

1. a disease prevalent throughout an entire country, continent, or the whole world.

pandemic British  

/ pænˈdɛmɪk /

adjective

1. (of a disease) affecting persons over a wide geographical area; extensively epidemic

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noun

1. a pandemic disease

pandemic Scientific  

/ păn-dĕm′ĭk /

1. An epidemic that spreads over a very wide area, such as an entire country or continent.

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pandemic Cultural  

1. A widespread epidemic affecting a large part of the population.

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Other Word Forms

• interpandemic adjective
• pandemia noun
• pandemicity noun

Etymology

Origin of pandemic

First recorded in 1660–70; from Late Latin pandēm(us), from Greek pándēmos “common, public” ( pan- “all” + dêm(os) “the people” + -os adjective suffix) + -ic; pan-

Example Sentences

"But life expectancy nationally is lower now than it was before the pandemic," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

More than two-thirds of metro areas in June 2025 had fewer listings than in 2019, before the pandemic supercharged housing and rising mortgage rates pushed buyers and sellers to the sidelines.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Though the city of Hartford itself, like many downtowns across the country, was hollowed out by the pandemic, the suburbs went gangbusters.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

If the pandemic era is omitted, that’s the lowest rate since 1976 — just when women were entering the workforce in huge numbers.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

To illustrate this, Korn points to the Spanish flu pandemic.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot