Wiktionary

epidemic

English edit

 
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Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From French épidémique, from épidémie, from Medieval Latin epidēmia, reanalysis of plural Late Latin epidēmia, from Ancient Greek ἐπιδήμιος (epidḗmios), from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + δῆμος (dêmos, “people”). By surface analysis, epi- (“on”) +‎ demic (“of the people”).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/
  • Audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛmɪk
  • Hyphenation: ep‧i‧dem‧ic

Noun edit

epidemic (plural epidemics)

  1. A widespread disease that affects many individuals in a population.
    • 1950 January, “Notes and News: George Bradshaw's Grave”, in Railway Magazine, pages 61–62:
      At that time, the city [Christiania, now Oslo] was in the grip of a cholera epidemic, and victims were dying at the rate of 60 a day. Bradshaw contracted the disease, and died on September 6 [1853].
  2. (epidemiology) An occurrence of a disease or disorder in a population at a frequency higher than that expected in a given time period; an episode of outbreak and subsequent high prevalence.
  3. (by extension, colloquial) A heightened occurrence of anything harmful.
    • 2022 April 20, John Leland, quoting Vivek Murthy, “How Loneliness Is Damaging Our Health”, in The New York Times‎[1], →ISSN:
      Even before the pandemic, the United States surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, said the country was experiencing an “epidemic of loneliness,” driven by the accelerated pace of life and the spread of technology into all of our social interactions.
    • 2023 September 29, Laura Laker, “UK protests planned amid ‘epidemic’ of dangerous driving”, in The Guardian‎[2], →ISSN:
      People are holding coordinated protests across UK towns and cities this weekend against what they call a “climate of fear” on the roads, and an “epidemic” of careless and dangerous driving that is curbing children’s freedoms and putting lives at risk.
  4. (figurative) The spreading of an idea or belief amongst a population.
    • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, pages 98–99:
      Lord Avonleigh was at once liberated from his imprisonment, well prepared to be considered, and to consider himself, a martyr to the cause of loyalty; and as the services of the rich nobleman,...his claims to notice and favour were most graciously acknowledged. Accordingly, he returned to his seat in a little fever of royal devotedness—it was the fashionable epidemic; and who coming from Whitehall could be without it?

Antonyms edit

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Translations edit

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Adjective edit

epidemic (comparative more epidemic, superlative most epidemic)

  1. Like or having to do with an epidemic; widespread.
    Synonyms: common, ubiquitous; see also Thesaurus:widespread
    Antonym: endemic
    Epidemic hysteria occurred upon the incumbent’s reelection.
    • 1852, Annals of influenza or epidemic catarrhal fever in Great Britain, page 76:
      [In] May, there was, at London and in its neighbourhood, a disease very epidemic, though not fatal, which had some time before been very prevalent both in Italy and Germany.
    • 1986, Gerald F. Pyle, The Diffusion of Influenza: Patterns and Paradigms, →ISBN, page 123:
      The major reason for such an examination was to determine if any patterns uncovered seemed to be more epidemic than endemic.
    • 2003, James C. Howell, Preventing & Reducing Juvenile Delinquency: A Comprehensive Framework, SAGE Publications, →ISBN, page 19:
      This proportion increased about 5% from 1988 to 1992—hardly a change of epidemic proportions.
    • 2013, Frederick Allen, A Decent, Orderly Lynching: The Montana Vigilantes, page 8:
      This was the stagecoach holdup, and while these encounters were not as epidemic as we like to remember, nonetheless there were numerous bands of "road agents" who lay by the roadside in wait for passengers.

Derived terms edit

Compound words and expressions

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See also edit

Anagrams edit

Romanian edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from French épidémique. By surface analysis, epidemie +‎ -ic.

Adjective edit

epidemic m or n (feminine singular epidemică, masculine plural epidemici, feminine and neuter plural epidemice)

  1. epidemic

Declension edit

Declension of epidemic
singular plural
masculine neuter feminine masculine neuter feminine
nominative/
accusative 		indefinite epidemic epidemică epidemici epidemice
definite epidemicul epidemica epidemicii epidemicele
genitive/
dative 		indefinite epidemic epidemice epidemici epidemice
definite epidemicului epidemicei epidemicilor epidemicelor
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