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

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

That’s higher than in any year since a significant nationwide measles epidemic from 1989 to 1991.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

"Post-pandemic, we have seen what's been described as a shoplifting epidemic on the streets of the UK," she said.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

The causes of the epidemic were debated at the time.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

"Mixing pills sends 1,000 elderly people a day to A&E" says the Times, leading on its own investigation into what it says is an "overprescribing epidemic".

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

Having killed most of the tribelet, the epidemic then disappears.

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

Plague is often linked to rats, packed medieval cities, and the devastating epidemics that tore through Europe during and after the Middle Ages.

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

In fact, in a crowded field of more than 3,500 mosquito species, Aedes aegypti has been the vector for almost all major epidemics of some of the world’s worst mosquito-borne diseases.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

A world that follows the rules of epidemics is a very different place from the world we think we live in now.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

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