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.

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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

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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

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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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• epidemics
  plural

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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

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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 federal case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

The HIV epidemic was raging across the U.S.,

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

While determining there were no epidemic risks, Rospotrebnadzor said it had implemented a set of "anti-epidemic measures" as a precaution and in line with sanitary legislation.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

That gives the disease a high potential for an epidemic spread or even a global pandemic, but health officials have cautioned we have a long way to go to get to that point.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

Infected, they mingled with the civilian population and threatened to start an epidemic.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

More than half of the deaths were due to the collapse of the health system, along with epidemics and famine.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

If so, plague was already capable of causing deadly outbreaks in small human communities thousands of years before the rise of cities, crowded settlements, and the flea-driven epidemics that would later make the disease infamous.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

Tung's rocky tenure was marked by the Asian Financial Crisis, two major epidemics, and historic protests which attracted criticism of his administration.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

"Respect for humanitarian personnel and humanitarian activities is essential to ensuring that communities affected by epidemics and other crises continue to receive the assistance and services they urgently need," it said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026

But plague didn’t begin to hit Europe with full force as the Black Death epidemics until A.D.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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Related Words

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

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