EPIDEMIC

[noun] [C] - the appearance of a particular disease in a large number of people in the same period of timeThe flu epidemic has struck down thousands of people in the south of England.They're predicting an AIDS epidemic in the next ten years.(figurative) The capital is suffering from an unemployment epidemic (= a serious lack of jobs, affecting many people) that it cannot control.epidemic adjective(figurative) Poverty in this country has reached epidemic proportions (= has an effect on many people).(figurative) Crime and poverty are epidemic in the city.