systemic

adjective sys·tem·ic \ si-ˈste-mik \

|Updated on: 3 Jul 2018

Definition of systemic

: 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)

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systemically

play \si-ˈste-mi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See systemic defined for English-language learners

See systemic defined for kids

Examples of systemic in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of systemic from the Web

To keep crape myrtle scale under control apply Imidacloprid systemic insecticide as a soil drench in mid-to-late May (or now).

— neil sperry, star-telegram, "The crape myrtle: Facts on the finest flowering shrub in the south," 21 June 2018
The innovations created in games support technological innovations that change society and the way people socialize, yet people are also eager to blame large systemic issues like gun violence in schools on video games.

— lindsay grace, Smithsonian, "The Original ‘Space Invaders’ is an Icon of 1970s America’s Deepest Fears," 19 June 2018
And while pardons are undoubtedly life-changing to those lucky enough to receive them, the systemic issues highlighted by the NFL protests can’t be completely resolved by something as limited as a presidential pardon.

— p.r. lockhart, Vox, "NFL players are protesting systemic racism. Trump wants to solve it with pardons.," 15 June 2018
Last month the Palestinians urged the International Criminal Court in The Hague to launch an investigation into Israeli policies and actions in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, accusing Israel of systemic crimes.

— ilan ben zion, Jewish Journal, "Rights group: Israeli lethal force in Gaza may be war crime," 13 June 2018
These two losses, so close together, seem hard to articulate, and even harder to comprehend—but are also indicative of a systemic problem that is often overlooked.

— danielle campoamor, Marie Claire, "It's Time to Talk About the Media's Role in Rising Suicide Rates," 8 June 2018
The changes actually focus on some of the systemic issues that experts say drive juvenile crime, Brickner said.

— cory shaffer, cleveland.com, "Reforms to Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center will balance public safety with dignity of teens, officials say," 4 Apr. 2018
David Weinberger The net is certainly more open to systematic and systemic attack than some early web optimists like me thought.

— dylan matthews, Vox, "The internet was supposed to save democracy. I asked 4 tech optimists what went wrong.," 8 June 2018
So much of it is cultural and systemic rather than process-driven.

— polina marinova, Fortune, "Founders Fund Partner Talks Privacy, Facebook, and His Time at Peter Thiel’s Secretive Data Company," 6 June 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.

First Known Use of systemic

1803

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

systemic

noun

Definition of systemic

: a systemic pesticide

First Known Use of systemic

1951

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Medicine Terms

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

SYSTEMIC Defined for English Language Learners

systemic

adjective

Definition of systemic for English Language Learners

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

SYSTEMIC Defined for Kids

systemic

adjective sys·tem·ic \ si-ˈste-mik \

Definition of systemic for Students

: of or relating to the body as a whole

systemic disease

Medical Dictionary

systemic

adjective sys·tem·ic \ sis-ˈtem-ik \

medical Definition of systemic

: 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)

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