prevalence

Rarely prev·a·lent·ness

[prev-uh-luhns]

noun

1. the condition of being prevalent, or widespread.

   The study examines the prevalence of profanity in video games.

2. the degree to which something is prevalent or widespread, especially a disease, disorder, or pathogen.

   The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is rising worldwide.

Other Word Forms

• nonprevalence noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of prevalence¹

First recorded in 1600–10; from French prévalence, from Latin praevalēntia, from praevalent-, stem of praevalēns (present participle of praevalēre “to be more able”) + -ia -y ³ ( def. ); prevail ( def. )

Example Sentences

She also warns that because chronic kidney disease is often not tested for, its true global prevalence may be even higher than the study suggests.

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The study assesses NCD prevalence among different animal groups and examines how specific risk factors contribute to disease development.

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"This results in the inclusion of questionable sources, and an overall higher prevalence of potentially problematic sources."

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In fact, those in the sub-five-minute category “were more sedentary, had a higher prevalence of overweight or obesity and were less likely to have a university degree.”

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Despite its prevalence, ME/CFS has remained poorly understood and notoriously difficult to diagnose.

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Related Words

• pervasiveness 
• popularity 

When To Use

What does prevalence mean?

Prevalence is the state or condition of being widespread or in general use or acceptance.Prevalence is the noun form of the adjective prevalent, meaning widespread, common, or extensive.In the context of medicine, prevalence refers to how widespread a disease is—specifically, the total number of cases in a population at a given time.Example: The prevalence of social media use among teens is often linked to the rise in mental health issues like anxiety.