prevalence

American

[prev-uh-luhns] / ˈprɛv ə ləns /

Rarely prevalentness

noun

the condition of being prevalent, or widespread.

The study examines the prevalence of profanity in video games.
the degree to which something is prevalent or widespread, especially a disease, disorder, or pathogen.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is rising worldwide.

Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

nonprevalence noun

Etymology

Origin of prevalence

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Growth drivers include increasing chronic kidney disease prevalence, better affordability supported by public health programs, and rising disposable incomes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Parents send in stool samples and the companies return detailed analyses of the types and prevalence of various microbes found.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

"It's possible this could explain the higher prevalence of autoimmune diseases in women," Cao speculates.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

But California Adventure’s prevalence of dressed-up county fair-like rides failed to command crowds.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

The lyrics retain images of early American life: the one-room schoolhouse, the rural environment, no industrial noise and automobiles, and the prevalence of animals.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023