systemic

American  

[si-stem-ik] / sɪˈstɛm ɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to a system, especially when affecting the entirety of a thing.

   systemic flaws in the design and construction of the vehicles.

2. relating to or noting a policy, practice, or set of beliefs that has been established as normative or customary throughout a political, social, or economic system: systemic racism.

   systemic inequality;

   systemic racism.

3. Physiology, Pathology.

   1. relating to or affecting the body as a whole.

   2. relating to or affecting a particular body system.

4. (of a pesticide) absorbed and circulated by a plant or other organism so as to be lethal to pests that feed on it.

---

systemic British  

/ -ˈstiː-, sɪˈstɛmɪk /

adjective

1. another word for systematic systematic

2. physiol (of a poison, disease, etc) affecting the entire body

3. (of a pesticide, fungicide, etc) spreading through all the parts of a plant and making it toxic to pests or parasites without destroying it

---

noun

1. a systemic pesticide, fungicide, etc

Other Word Forms

• nonsystemic
  adjective
• systemically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of systemic

First recorded in 1795–1805; system + -ic

Explanation

Something that's systemic affects all parts of something. If every dog at doggy daycare has fleas, it's a systemic problem. The adjective systemic is often used to describe diseases or disorders; a systemic illness affects your whole body or an entire system — like your digestive system. Any kind of system can experience systemic problems. For example, crime is a systemic problem in a community because it affects everyone from individuals to families, businesses, and tourism, just to name a few groups harmed by the problem.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

systemic

But it's also fair to be sceptical about the idea of a mayor solving issues that are far more complex and systemic than many suggest.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

The FDA’s own reanalysis, excluding responses the agency said couldn’t be attributed to a systemic effect, found a considerably lower rate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

"But it also offers little support for the idea that small lifestyle changes automatically lead people towards activism or systemic reform."

From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026

At the same time, they have denied that there is a widespread, systemic problem.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

The self-disintegration of the whole animal that follows a systemic injection can be interpreted as a well- intentioned but lethal error.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

• fundamental
• integral
• intrinsic