pandemic

[pan-dem-ik]

See more synonyms for pandemic on Thesaurus.com

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. 2018

Examples from the Web for pandemic

Contemporary Examples

The Ebola pandemic in West Africa is having a disastrous effect on tourism on the whole continent.
Ebola Could Deal a Death Blow to Africa’s Wildlife
Brandon Presser
November 3, 2014
If there is a pandemic to be actually worried about, it's the pandemic of fear as we approach the midterm elections.
Ebola, ISIS, the Border: So Much to Fear, So Little Time!
Gene Robinson
November 2, 2014
“There are sexy issues tied to this pandemic,” she says unapologetically.
“Dirty 30”: Talking AIDS To The Basketball Wives Set
Hugh Ryan
February 16, 2014
Once you start to look at this pandemic there's no way you would ever turn your back.
“Dirty 30”: Talking AIDS To The Basketball Wives Set
Hugh Ryan
February 16, 2014
In 2009 nearly all influenza cases were caused by the pandemic H1N1 virus, driving the previously dominant H3N2 underground.
Flu Fears: The Race Between Pandemic Viruses and a Universal Vaccine
John M. Barry
January 14, 2013

Historical Examples

Uranian Aphrodite was distinguished from her Pandemic sister by chastened lust-repelling loveliness.
Sketches and Studies in Italy and Greece
John Addington Symonds
Pandemic, pan-dem′ik, adj. incident to a whole people, epidemic.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R)
Various
The disease is nearly always epidemic, though at intervals it appears to be pandemic and in certain districts almost endemic.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 2
Various
The evidence that the great epidemics of influenza are due to some general and pandemic influence is conclusive.
A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I
Various

British Dictionary definitions for pandemic

pandemic

adjective

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

noun

a pandemic disease

Word Origin

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 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.

pandemic in Medicine

pandemic

(păn-dĕm′ĭk)

adj.

Epidemic over a wide geographic area.

A pandemic disease.

pandemic in Science

pandemic

[păn-dĕm′ĭk]

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

pandemic in Culture

pandemic

A widespread epidemic affecting a large part of the population.

pandemic

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}pandemic

Examples from the Web for pandemic

Contemporary Examples

The Ebola pandemic in West Africa is having a disastrous effect on tourism on the whole continent.

If there is a pandemic to be actually worried about, it's the pandemic of fear as we approach the midterm elections.

“There are sexy issues tied to this pandemic,” she says unapologetically.

Once you start to look at this pandemic there's no way you would ever turn your back.

In 2009 nearly all influenza cases were caused by the pandemic H1N1 virus, driving the previously dominant H3N2 underground.

Historical Examples

Uranian Aphrodite was distinguished from her Pandemic sister by chastened lust-repelling loveliness.

Pandemic, pan-dem′ik, adj. incident to a whole people, epidemic.

The disease is nearly always epidemic, though at intervals it appears to be pandemic and in certain districts almost endemic.

The evidence that the great epidemics of influenza are due to some general and pandemic influence is conclusive.

pandemic

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for pandemic

adj.

pandemic

pandemic

pandemic

Origin of pandemic