systemic

adjective sys·tem·ic \ sis-ˈte-mik \

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 \-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

In 2011, the Justice Department concluded that the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office engaged in systemic racial profiling of Latinos.

— michelle ye hee lee, Washington Post, "Was former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio’s criminal conviction an Obama ‘political witch hunt’?," 30 Aug. 2017
The impressive individual accomplishments of these women, however, don’t change the overall systemic picture—the fact that list after list from music publications ranking top producers often don’t include a single woman.

— joy lanzendorfer, The Atlantic, "Why Aren’t There More Women Working in Audio?," 30 Aug. 2017
The lawsuit, which seeks a consent decree overseen by a judge, represents a state-level response to federal reluctance to accuse police departments of systemic wrongdoing.

— mitch smith, New York Times, "Illinois Attorney General Sues Chicago Over Police Practices," 29 Aug. 2017
Also, the systemic and socioeconomic hardship research has shown leads to crime must be addressed.

— charlotteobserver, "Charlotte’s District 5 City Council candidates give their views on 4 key issues," 23 Aug. 2017
Systemic oppression of all minorities; LGTBQ, black, brown, muslims, indigenous and other peoples; continues to occur acriss the nation and even in my city of Boston.

— britni de la cretaz, Teen Vogue, "Why These Counterprotesters Denounced Hate at the "Free Speech Rally"," 20 Aug. 2017
Slavery is regarded as a minor error within the great tapestry of brutality, despite its long-lasting, systemic and ever-present effects.

— lara witt, Harper's BAZAAR, "White Liberals Still Don’t Understand White Supremacy," 16 Aug. 2017
The election of a TV celebrity and real estate mogul to the office of the U.S. Presidency has ushered in what many perceive to be a systemic assault on the sciences in the Anglo-Saxon world.

— simon parkin, Bloomberg.com, "Brexit Is Quietly Strangling Science," 8 Aug. 2017
Plumlee is bumping up against many of the same systemic factors as Noel while also knowing that any possibility of starting in Denver is all but gone.

— rob mahoney, SI.com, "2017 NBA Free Agency: What's Left To Sort Out?," 20 July 2017

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

systemic

noun

Definition of systemic

:a systemic pesticide

Recent Examples of systemic from the Web

In practice, most systemics are drawn from the organic-phosphate group, because with these the problem of residues is somewhat less acute.

— rachel carson, The New Yorker, "Silent Spring—I," 1 Jan. 1950

First Known Use of systemic

1951

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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