epidemic

²ep·i·dem·ic

noun \ˌe-pə-ˈde-mik\

Definition of EPIDEMIC

1

: an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time : an outbreak of epidemic disease

2

: an outbreak or product of sudden rapid spread, growth, or development <an epidemic of bankruptcies>

Examples of EPIDEMIC

1. Cosmetic surgery is now so prevalent that it could qualify as a national epidemic. —Toni Bentley, New York Times Book Review, 22 Oct. 2006
2. “Spim,” as people are beginning to call unsolicited instant messages, is the latest installment in the growing epidemic of unwanted electronic ads and a further sign that unscrupulous online marketers will seek to take advantage of all of the Internet's communication tools, not limiting themselves to spam or pop-up ads. —David McGuire, www.washingtonpost.com, 13 Nov. 2003
3. Whatever might have motivated Kennedy to put [Ian] Fleming on his list, from that point, Bond became an international obsession. When the first Bond film appeared in 1962—Dr. No—the obsession was a full-blown craze, a cultural epidemic. —Gerald Early, New Letters, 1999

Origin of EPIDEMIC

(see ¹epidemic)

First Known Use: 1757

Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic