pandemic

American  

[pan-dem-ik] / pænˈdɛm ɪk /

adjective

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

2. general; universal.

   pandemic fear of atomic war.

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noun

1. a disease prevalent throughout an entire country, continent, or the whole world.

pandemic British  

/ pænˈdɛmɪk /

adjective

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

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noun

1. a pandemic disease

pandemic Scientific  

/ păn-dĕm′ĭk /

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

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pandemic Cultural  

1. A widespread epidemic affecting a large part of the population.

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Other Word Forms

• interpandemic adjective
• pandemia noun
• pandemicity noun

Etymology

Origin of pandemic

First recorded in 1660–70; from Late Latin pandēm(us), from Greek pándēmos “common, public” ( pan- “all” + dêm(os) “the people” + -os adjective suffix) + -ic; pan-

Example Sentences

The rate slipped to 61.9%, marking its lowest level since late 2021, and well below where it was before the pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The woman said things came to a head during the Coronavirus pandemic when people were limited in the contact they were allowed to have with each other.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Although we generally think of macroeconomic shocks like we saw in the Covid-19 pandemic as being recessionary, often recession contributors are more sector-specific.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

If the pandemic era is omitted, that’s the lowest rate since 1976 — just when women were entering the workforce in huge numbers.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

I definitely didn’t mention the great pandemic from back in the twenties.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera