Epidemic

Quick meaning: Epidemic is a noun meaning A widespread disease that affects many humans in a population.

Meaning

A widespread disease that affects many humans in a population.

More Meanings

1. (by extension, colloquial) A heightened occurrence of anything harmful.
2. (figurative) The spreading of an idea or belief amongst a population.
3. Of, related to, or being an epidemic: a widespread outbreak of disease in humans.
4. (figurative) Like an epidemic: widespread in a bad way.
5. (epidemiology) An occurrence of a disease or disorder in a human population at a frequency higher than that expected in a given time period; an episode of outbreak and subsequent high prevalence.

Example Sentences

Epidemic hysteria occurred upon the incumbent’s reelection.

This proportion increased about 5% from 1988 to 1992—hardly a change of epidemic proportions.

The major reason for such an examination was to determine if any patterns uncovered seemed to be more epidemic than endemic.

[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.

Word Forms

• epidemics
• epidemick
• epidemical

Synonyms for epidemic

Depending on context, synonyms include common, ubiquitous, disseminated, far-flung, extensive, pervasive.

Antonyms for epidemic

Common opposites include endemic.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include pandemic, epizootic, pestilential, epiphytotic, plaguey, pestilent.

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