/ ˌepɪˈdemɪk; NAmE / noun
1.
a large number of cases of a particular disease happening at the same time in a particular community :
the outbreak of a flu epidemic
an epidemic of measles
2.
a sudden rapid increase in how often sth bad happens :
an epidemic of crime in the inner cities
► epi·dem·ic adjective :
Car theft is now reaching epidemic proportions .
—compare pandemic
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent. (as an adjective): from French épidémique , from épidémie , via late Latin from Greek epidēmia prevalence of disease, from epidēmios prevalent, from epi upon + dēmos the people.