n. & adj.
n. 1 a widespread occurrence of a disease in a community at a particular time. 2 such a disease. 3 (foll. by of) a wide prevalence of something usu. undesirable.
adj. in the nature of an epidemic (cf. ENDEMIC). epidemically adv.
[ F épidémique f. épidémie f. LL epidemia f. Gk epidemia prevalence of disease f. epidemios (adj.) (as EPI-, demos the people) ]