systemic

American  

[si-stem-ik] / sɪˈstɛm ɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to a system, especially when affecting the entirety of a thing.

   systemic flaws in the design and construction of the vehicles.

2. relating to or noting a policy, practice, or set of beliefs that has been established as normative or customary throughout a political, social, or economic system: systemic racism.

   systemic inequality;

   systemic racism.

3. Physiology, Pathology.

   1. relating to or affecting the body as a whole.

   2. relating to or affecting a particular body system.

4. (of a pesticide) absorbed and circulated by a plant or other organism so as to be lethal to pests that feed on it.

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systemic British  

/ -ˈstiː-, sɪˈstɛmɪk /

adjective

1. another word for systematic systematic

2. physiol (of a poison, disease, etc) affecting the entire body

3. (of a pesticide, fungicide, etc) spreading through all the parts of a plant and making it toxic to pests or parasites without destroying it

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noun

1. a systemic pesticide, fungicide, etc

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonsystemic
  adjective
• systemically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of systemic

First recorded in 1795–1805; system + -ic

Explanation

Something that's systemic affects all parts of something. If every dog at doggy daycare has fleas, it's a systemic problem. The adjective systemic is often used to describe diseases or disorders; a systemic illness affects your whole body or an entire system — like your digestive system. Any kind of system can experience systemic problems. For example, crime is a systemic problem in a community because it affects everyone from individuals to families, businesses, and tourism, just to name a few groups harmed by the problem.

Example Sentences

But on top of the systemic factors that slow down election results in California and L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026

To investigate how the body manages cytokine levels, the researchers used a mouse model of systemic inflammation caused by the pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.

From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026

Malta was to begin counting votes Sunday in an election expected to deliver a historic fourth term for the Labour government, despite concerns over rampant overdevelopment and systemic corruption.

From Barron's • May 31, 2026

“Our challenges, while not systemic, highlight where we must sharpen our operational edge,” Chief Operating Officer Dan Janki told employees in a memo this month.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

The world of systemic insecticides is a weird world, surpassing the imaginings of the brothers Grimm — perhaps most closely akin to the cartoon world of Charles Addams.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

• fundamental
• integral
• intrinsic