epidemic

C1 Topic:Health & Medicine

US /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #10150

Meanings

1

noun
The fast spread of an infectious disease through a population.

The city was in the grip of a cholera epidemic.
2

noun
A sudden, widespread increase in something harmful.

Experts warn of a growing epidemic of loneliness among young people.
3

adj
Spreading rapidly and widely, like a disease.

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in many countries.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 adj · spreading rapidly and... widespread prevalent rife pervasive

Word family

Forms epidemics

Derived forms antiepidemicecoepidemicendemoepidemicepicurveepidemicallyepidemicityepidemiclikehyperepidemiciatroepidemicinfodemicinterepidemicmicroepidemic

Related forms ecdemicendemicenzooticepidemiologyepizooticmurrain pandemic pestilencequademictridemictripledemictwindemic

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

epidemic cholera
cholera occurring as a widespread outbreak in a population

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Epidemic dates from the early 17th century and comes from Greek epidemia ‘the prevalence of disease’. Epidemia goes back to epi ‘upon’ and demos ‘the people’, the element also found in democracy.

Etymology

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”).

épidémique French epidēmia la-lat ἐπιδήμιος Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Health & Medicine Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# epidemic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 10150

## Meanings
1. The fast spread of an infectious disease through a population.
2. A sudden, widespread increase in something harmful.
3. Spreading rapidly and widely, like a disease.

## Examples
- The city was in the grip of a cholera epidemic.
- Experts warn of a growing epidemic of loneliness among young people.
- Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in many countries.

## Derived Forms
- antiepidemic
- ecoepidemic
- endemoepidemic
- epicurve
- epidemically
- epidemicity
- epidemiclike
- hyperepidemic
- iatroepidemic
- infodemic
- interepidemic
- microepidemic

## Related Forms
- ecdemic
- endemic
- enzootic
- epidemiology
- epizootic
- murrain
- pandemic
- pestilence
- quademic
- tridemic
- tripledemic
- twindemic

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: épidémique
- Root: epidēmia
- Root: ἐπιδήμιος
- Affix: epi- - on

## Etymology
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”).

## AI Etymology
Epidemic comes 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”). The historical chain includes épidémique (French), epidēmia (Medieval Latin), epidēmia (Late Latin), and ἐπιδήμιος (Ancient Greek). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as antiepidemic, ecoepidemic, endemoepidemic, and epicurve and related forms such as ecdemic, endemic, and enzootic. In present use it covers the fast spread of an infectious disease through a population, a sudden, widespread increase in something harmful, and spreading rapidly and widely, like a disease.

## Topics
- Health & Medicine
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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