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Webster's New World College Dictionary » epidemically
epidemically
Variant of epidemic
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
- an epidemic disease
- the rapid spreading of such a disease
- a rapid, widespread occurrence or growth
Related Forms:
- epidemically ep′i·dem′i·cally adverb
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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