Pronunciation: ˌ e-p ə - ˌ d ē -m ē - ' ä-l ə -j ē , - ˌ de-m ē -
Function: noun
Etymology: Late Latin epidemia + International Scientific Vocabulary -logy
Date: circa 1860
1 : a branch of medical science that deals with the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in a population
2 : the sum of the factors controlling the presence or absence of a disease or pathogen
– ep · i · de · mi · o · log · i · cal \ - ˌ d ē -m ē - ə - ' lä-ji-k ə l, - ˌ de-m ē - \ also ep · i · de · mi · o · log · ic \ -jik \ adjective
– ep · i · de · mi · o · log · i · cal · ly \ -ji-k( ə -)l ē \ adverb
– ep · i · de · mi · ol · o · gist \ - ˌ d ē -m ē - ' ä-l ə -jist, - ˌ de-m ē - \ noun