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- Dictionaryepidemic/ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/
noun
- 1. a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time: "a flu epidemic" Similar
adjective
- 1. (of a disease) occurring widely in a community at a particular time: "epidemic diseases"
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Learn the meaning of epidemic as an adjective and a noun, with synonyms, examples, and word history. Find out how epidemic differs from endemic and pandemic in describing the spread of diseases.
An epidemic (from Greek ἐπί epi "upon or above" and δῆμος demos "people") is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of hosts in a given population within a short period of time. For example, in meningococcal infections, an attack rate in excess of 15 cases per 100,000 people for two consecutive weeks is considered an epidemic. [1] [2]
Learn the meaning of epidemic as a noun and an adjective, with examples of usage and related words. Find out how epidemic differs from pandemic and endemic, and see translations in other languages.
Epidemic definition: (of a disease) affecting many persons at the same time, and spreading from person to person in a locality where the disease is not permanently prevalent.. See examples of EPIDEMIC used in a sentence.
Feb 19, 2021 · Learn the differences between epidemic, endemic, and pandemic, and how they relate to disease outbreaks and public health. Find out the causes, factors, and examples of past and current pandemics and epidemics.
An epidemic is a large number of cases of a particular disease or medical condition happening at the same time in a particular community. Learn how to pronounce, use and collocate the word epidemic with Oxford's online dictionary.
Of an acute disease, esp. one that is not usually present in a region or population: affecting many individuals within a short period of time; suddenly and widely prevalent. Originally such diseases were often attributed to factors such as local climatic conditions, but they were later shown to be mainly of infectious origin.
