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pandemic

[ pan-dem-ik ]
/ pænˈdɛm ɪk /
SEE 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.

QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL PUNCTUATION!

Commas mark divisions in sentences. Periods end declarative sentences. Apostrophes show possession. Easy, right? Well, punctuation can get pretty tricky—fast. Think you got what it takes to be a punctuation expert? Take our quiz to prove it!
Question 1 of 10
Which of the options below is the best punctuation for the sentence? It__s your turn to pick the movie __ but your sister gets to pick the board game we _ re going to play.
Its your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.
It’s your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game were going to play.
It’s your turn to pick the movie, but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of pandemic

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

OTHER WORDS FROM pandemic

pan·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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pandemic

endemic epidemic pandemic

Words nearby pandemic

pandavas, pandean, pandean pipes, pandect, pandects of justinian, pandemic, pandemonium, pander, pandiculation, pandit, pandora
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

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Words related to pandemic

catholic, cosmopolitan, empyrean, generic, comprehensive, general, regular, common, broad, sweeping, total, whole, accepted, all, all-inclusive, astronomical, celestial, cosmic, customary, diffuse

Example sentences from the Web for pandemic

British Dictionary definitions for pandemic

pandemic
/ (pænˈdɛmɪk) /

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

Medical definitions for pandemic

pandemic
[ păn-dĕm′ĭk ]

adj.

Epidemic over a wide geographic area.

n.

A pandemic disease.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for pandemic

pandemic
[ păn-dĕm′ĭk ]

An epidemic that spreads over a very wide area, such as an entire country or continent.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for pandemic

pandemic

A widespread epidemic affecting a large part of the population.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.