systemic

adjective

sys·tem·ic | \ si-ˈste-mik

Definition of systemic

(Entry 1 of 2)

: of, relating to, or common to a system: such as

a : affecting the body generally

b : supplying those parts of the body that receive blood through the aorta rather than through the pulmonary artery

c : of, relating to, or being a pesticide that as used is harmless to the plant or higher animal but when absorbed into its sap or bloodstream makes the entire organism toxic to pests (such as an insect or fungus)

systemic

noun

Definition of systemic (Entry 2 of 2)

: a systemic pesticide

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Examples of systemic in a Sentence

Adjective

The company made some systemic changes to the way it operated. The problem seems to be systemic.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act is named after Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, who was the former head of a Russian antidoping lab before becoming a whistleblower in uncovering the country's systemic doping at the 2014 Winter Olympics. — Chris Chavez, SI.com, "U.S. Lawmakers Want to Criminalize Doping In International Sports," 12 June 2018 The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) has been fighting to end systemic gun violence since 1974. — Danielle Campoamor, Cosmopolitan, "Survivors Will Change This Country, But They Shouldn't Have To," 20 Feb. 2018 This is not just a show about a strong woman—written and directed by women—but a show about women under attack, about systemic abuse, and what happens after those abused reach breaking point. — Rachel Syme, The New Republic, "On AMC, ‘Dietland’ serves up a revenge fantasy for the era of MeToo.," 12 June 2018 Today, Girls Rock Milwaukee and FemFest exist in a world rocked by the #MeToo and #Time'sUp movements — but the music industry, in Milwaukee and beyond, remains male-dominated, and systemic barriers are very much in place. — Piet Levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "What women in Milwaukee's music scene say about #MeToo, FemFest impact and breaking down barriers," 23 May 2018 The work that can be done to correct architecture’s systemic inequities has already begun—and there are more measures the architecture industry can take at every level. — Diana Budds, Curbed, "How architecture can rebuild itself post #MeToo," 21 May 2018 Antibiotics are the only effective treatment for typhoid fever, a systemic infection with varying severity that can become life-threatening. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "First XDR typhoid is on the verge of being untreatable, spreading globally," 17 Apr. 2018 Deputy cliques were also criticized by the Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence, a blue-ribbon group that issued harsh findings in 2012 about systemic dysfunction in the department, including the use of excessive force against inmates. — Joel Rubin, latimes.com, "After decades of problems, new allegations surface of a secret clique within L.A. County Sheriff's Department," 10 July 2018 But beyond source reduction, there is no real systemic plan. — Radhika Viswanathan, Vox, "Why everyone is shunning plastic straws," 4 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'systemic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near systemic

systemic lupus erythematosus

systemic risk

Statistics for systemic

Last Updated

28 Aug 2018

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Time Traveler for systemic

The first known use of systemic was in 1803

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More Definitions for systemic

systemic

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of systemic

: of or relating to an entire system

medical : of, relating to, or affecting the entire body

See the full definition for systemic in the English Language Learners Dictionary

systemic

adjective

sys·tem·ic | \ si-ˈste-mik

Kids Definition of systemic

: of or relating to the body as a whole systemic disease

systemic

adjective

sys·tem·ic | \ sis-ˈtem-ik

Medical Definition of systemic

(Entry 1 of 2)

: of, relating to, or common to a system: as

a : affecting the body generally — compare local

b : supplying those parts of the body that receive blood through the aorta rather than through the pulmonary artery

c : being a pesticide that as used is harmless to a higher animal or a plant but when absorbed into the bloodstream or the sap makes the whole organism toxic to pests (as cattle grubs, mites, or aphids)