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  

/ sɪˈstɛmɪk, -ˈstiː- /

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

• nonsystemic
  adjective
• systemically
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of systemic

First recorded in 1795–1805; system + -ic

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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

See Examples For:

systemic

The hope and the change, the transcendent conviction that the systemic levers of government are not corroded beyond repair, the optimist I used to be—it all came rushing back.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026

Researchers believe those lower estimates were influenced by the widespread population losses caused by disease, frontier violence, and systemic oppression before the earliest Australian censuses were conducted.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

Haugen and Horwitz battled similarly daunting foes, and the rot they uncovered was just as systemic and frightening as the reporting.

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

"But a case like Jacqui and Olivia's is almost exemplary of the systemic rot and failings that prevail throughout the entire system."

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

But knowing that Zeitoun’s ordeal was caused instead by systemic ignorance and malfunction—and perhaps long-festering paranoia on the part of the National Guard and whatever other agencies were involved—was unsettling.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers

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Related Words

• fundamental
• integral
• intrinsic

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