prevalence
AmericanUsage
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
Derived Forms
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. ); see prevail ( def. )
Explanation
Prevalence means there is a lot of something. If you get a bad grade on a paper for having a prevalence of typos, you need to proofread your work more carefully. The word prevalence comes from the Latin praevalere, meaning "condition of being widespread or general." The word is often used to describe a phenomenon that is widespread in a community, like the prevalence of a disease across a country. Prevalence is another word for "commonness." If there's a prevalence of thefts in your neighborhood, that means the likelihood of your house getting robbed is pretty high.
Vocabulary lists containing prevalence
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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.
In a statement, a Meta spokesman said the Palo Alto company regularly issues public reports tracking "violating content" on its platforms and "the prevalence of hateful conduct did not increase throughout 2025."
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
Both films are disarmingly earnest studies of the prevalence and importance of memory in lives steeped in grief.
From Salon • May 25, 2026
And the evidence on the ground suggests otherwise – that the prevalence of underage and forced marriages is increasing because girls are barred from studying.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
"In the United States, the prevalence of frailty in the non-nursing home population ages 65 and older is about 15%," Kirkwood says.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
The explanation, Bohr recognized, lay in the prevalence of distinct uranium isotopes.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
