변호사 이재욱의 미국법 이야기 (Attorney Lee's commentary about U.S. law)

ep·i·dem·ic

  [ep-i-dem-ik]  Show IPA

adjective

1.

Also, ep·i·dem·i·cal. (of a disease) affecting many persons atthe same time, and spreading from person to person in a localitywhere the disease is not permanently prevalent.

2.

extremely prevalent; widespread.

noun

3.

a temporary prevalence of a disease.

4.

a rapid spread or increase in the occurrence of something: anepidemic of riots.

Origin: 
1595–1605;  obsolete epidem ( y ) (< Late Latin epidēmia  < Greekepidēmía  staying in one place, among the people, equivalent to epi-epi- + dêm ( os ) people of a district + -ia -y³ ) + -ic

Related forms

ep·i·dem·i·cal·ly, adverb

ep·i·de·mic·i·ty  [ep-i-duh-mis-i-tee]  Show IPA , noun

in·ter·ep·i·dem·ic, adjective

pre·ep·i·dem·ic, noun, adjective

Can be confused: endemic, epidemic, pandemic.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source 

|

 Link To epidemic

Relevant Questions

What Is An Epidemic?

How Is a Pandemic Differ...

What Does Epidemic Mean?

What Was The Spanish Flu...

00:10

Epidemic is always a great word to know.

So is ort. Does it mean:

a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.

a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.

LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

Collins

World English Dictionary

epidemic  (ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk)
— adj
1.	(esp of a disease) attacking or affecting many personssimultaneously in a community or area
— n
2.	a widespread occurrence of a disease: an influenza epidemic
3.	a rapid development, spread, or growth of something, espsomething unpleasant: an epidemic of strikes
[C17: from French épidémique,  via Late Latin from Greek epidēmia literally: among the people, from epi-  + dēmos  people]
epi'demically
— adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

epidemic 

c.1600, from Fr. épidémique, from épidemié "an epidemic disease,"from M.L. epidemia, from Gk. epidemia "prevalence of an epidemicdisease" (especially the plague), from epi- "among, upon" + demos"people, district" (see demotic).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper