pandemic

[pan-dem-ik]

adjective

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

general; universal: pandemic fear of atomic war.

noun

a pandemic disease.

Origin of pandemic

1660–70; < Late Latin pandēm(us) < Greek pándēmos common, public (pan- pan- + dêm(os) the people + -os adj. suffix) + -ic

Related formspan·de·mi·a

[pan-dee-mee-uh] /pænˈdi mi ə/, nounpan·de·mic·i·ty

[pan-duh-mis-i-tee] /ˌpæn dəˈmɪs ɪ ti/, nounin·ter·pan·dem·ic, adjective

Can be confusedendemic epidemic pandemic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for pandemia

pandemic

adjective

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

noun

a pandemic disease

Word Origin for pandemic

C17: from Late Latin pandēmus, from Greek pandēmos general, from pan- + demos the people

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for pandemia

pandemic

adj.

1660s, from Late Latin pandemus, from Greek pandemos "pertaining to all people; public, common," from pan- "all" (see pan-) + demos "people" (see demotic). Modeled on epidemic. The noun is first recorded 1853, from the adjective.

pandemia in Medicine