epidemic Hear it!

epidemic definition

epi·demic (ep′ə dem′ik)

adjective

prevalent and spreading rapidly among many individuals in a community at the same time: said esp. of a serious human contagious disease
also epidemical ep′i·dem′i·cal

Etymology: Fr épidémique < MFr < ML epidemicus < epidemia < Gr epidēmia < epidēmios, among the people, general < epi-, epi- + dēmos, people: see democracy

noun

  1. an epidemic disease
  2. the rapid spreading of such a disease
  3. a rapid, widespread occurrence or growth

Related Forms:

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