pandemic

1 of 2

adjective

pan·​dem·​ic pan-ˈde-mik How to pronounce pandemic (audio)
1
: occurring over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or continents) and typically affecting a significant proportion of the population
pandemic malaria
The 1918 flu was pandemic and claimed millions of lives.
2
: characterized by very widespread growth or extent : epidemic entry 1 sense 3
a problem of pandemic proportions

pandemic

2 of 2

noun

plural pandemics
1
: an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or continents) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population : a pandemic outbreak of a disease
a global pandemic
Influenza pandemics seem to strike every few decades and to kill by the million—at least 1m in 1968; perhaps 100m in the "Spanish" flu of 1918-19.The Economist
2
: an outbreak or product of sudden rapid spread, growth, or development : epidemic entry 2 sense 2
We have been talking about the pandemic of racism for centuries.Roger Griffith
Nobel-prize winning economist Robert Shiller warns a pandemic of fear could tip the economy into an undeserved depression.Stephanie Landsman
Usage of Endemic, Epidemic, and Pandemic

This trio of terms describes various degrees of an infectious disease's spread. The process begins with an outbreak—a sudden rise in the presence of a disease. An outbreak that can't be stopped or slowed, and in which the disease is spreading rapidly to many people within a localized community or region (such as a single country), is called an epidemic. The word pandemic refers to an epidemic that has gone international: the disease, once localized in scope, now starts to appear in other countries and even on other continents, typically infecting a large number of people in a short amount of time. A pandemic often has significant economic and social ramifications due to its global impact. If a disease lingers for a long time as an epidemic or a pandemic, it may eventually become endemic to an area. The word endemic describes a disease that persists at a consistent level within a region with fairly predictable rates of infection and spread, making it easier to prevent future outbreaks. Epidemic, pandemic, and endemic all share the Greek root dêmos, meaning "district, country, people."

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a pandemic and an epidemic?

An epidemic is an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time. A pandemic is a kind of epidemic: one which has spread across a wider geographic range than an epidemic, and which has affected a significant portion of the population.

When does an outbreak become a pandemic?

An outbreak is “a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease” and typically is confined to a localized area or a specific group of people. Should an outbreak become more severe, and less localized, it may be characterized as an epidemic. If it broadens still further, and affects a significant portion of the population, the disease may be characterized as a pandemic.

What are some examples of pandemics?

There have been a number of pandemics since the beginning of the 20th century: the H1N1 pandemic of 2009, the Spanish flu of 1918/19 (which did not originate in Spain), as well as flu pandemics in 1957 and 1968, and now the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2019. Among the best known pandemics is the Black Death, a plague which spread across Asia and Europe in the middle of the 14th century.

Examples of pandemic in a Sentence

Noun … globalization, the most thoroughgoing socioeconomic upheaval since the Industrial Revolution, which has set off a pandemic of retrogressive nationalism, regional separatism, and religious extremism. Martin Filler, New York Review of Books, 24 Sept. 2009
… it also hopes to utilize this cultural investigation to better understand strategies to reduce the massive pandemic we now understand cigarette smoking to produce. Allan M. Brandt, The Cigarette Century, 2007
There is evidence that this gambling pandemic is going global. Gerri Hirshey, New York Times Magazine, 17 July 1994
In ten years that it raged, this pandemic took or ravaged the lives of nearly five million people before it disappeared, as mysteriously and suddenly as it had arrived, in 1927. Oliver Sacks, Awakenings, 1973
The 1918 flu pandemic claimed millions of lives.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Then, after a flat solar market during the 2020 pandemic disruption, electricity rates and the solar market exploded, more than doubling annual sales by 2022. Severin Borenstein, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024 Private consumption growth is the slowest in 20 years, setting aside the pandemic low. Debasish Roy Chowdhury, TIME, 24 Apr. 2024 But Hancock’s constantly restless artistic spirit, coupled with the 2020 pandemic shutdown, led him to reevaluate things in a major way. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024 Meanwhile, San Carlos Apache College in Arizona has faced the unique challenge of coming of age during the pandemic era. Matt Krupnick, The Arizona Republic, 14 Apr. 2024 That’s part of the reason why consumer spending has been so robust since the economy ascended from pandemic depths, despite high inflation and elevated interest rates. Bryan Mena, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024 Read More: How Extreme Heat Will Impact India’s Election During his second term, Modi’s government struggled with COVID-19 pandemic mismanagement, high levels of unemployment, and increasing attacks against minorities and critics of the government. Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024 Look, many California businesses are still recovering from the harsh business restrictions of the pandemic era. Jonathan Lansner, Orange County Register, 11 Apr. 2024 Due to pandemic delays, Gropman spent nearly two years in Italy between scouting and filming. Emily Zemler, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Apr. 2024
Noun
This has been a significant boost to the U.K. economy, with foreign workers accounting for essentially all of the growth in the labor force over the last few years, as well as propping up a health service that is still struggling with the aftereffects of the pandemic. Jonathan Portes, TIME, 27 Apr. 2024 In Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas, the vast majority of ballots for both candidates were cast ahead of Election Day in 2020 — upwards of 90% depending on the state, meaning most Biden and Trump voters cast their ballots early in these four states in the height of the pandemic. Olivia Rinaldi, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2024 Major finance firms, attracted to Florida’s low taxes, followed New Yorkers fleeing to the area during the pandemic. Natalie Wong, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024 De Rosnay and Augé live within five minutes of each other in north Paris, and set to work on the project just before the start of the pandemic. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 26 Apr. 2024 At the same time, this game-playing has gotten him and the neighborhood kids outdoors, which, given the lure of screen time and the isolating effects of the pandemic, feels like a gift. Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2024 Trump and Biden faced off for just two debates in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, with Trump pulling out of a third. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Apr. 2024 Food recalls across the U.S. last year continued to rise following a drop during the pandemic, with nearly half due to undeclared allergens, according to a report released Thursday. Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024 Globally, passenger traffic in 2023 grew by 27% from 2022 to reach nearly 94% of 2019 results, with domestic travel rebounding more quickly from the pandemic — growing by 20% from 2022 to reach almost 97% of 2019 levels. Marnie Hunter, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pandemic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Greek pándēmos "of all the people, public, common, (of diseases) widespread (in galen)" (from pan- pan- + -dēmos, adjective derivative of dêmos "district, country, people") + -ic entry 1 — more at demo-

Noun

noun derivative of pandemic entry 1, after epidemic entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1666, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pandemic was in 1666

Dictionary Entries Near pandemic

Cite this Entry

“Pandemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pandemic. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

pandemic

1 of 2 adjective
pan·​dem·​ic pan-ˈdem-ik How to pronounce pandemic (audio)
: occurring over a wide area and affecting many individuals
pandemic malaria

pandemic

2 of 2 noun
: a pandemic outbreak of a disease

Medical Definition

pandemic

1 of 2 adjective
pan·​dem·​ic pan-ˈdem-ik How to pronounce pandemic (audio)
: occurring over a wide geographic area (as multiple countries or continents) and typically affecting a significant proportion of the population
pandemic malaria
pandemic influenza

pandemic

2 of 2 noun
: an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area (as multiple countries or continents) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population : a pandemic outbreak of a disease
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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