I. ˌe-pə-ˈde-mik adjective
Etymology: French épidémique, from Middle French, from epidemie, noun, epidemic, from Late Latin epidemia, from Greek epidēmia visit, epidemic, from epidēmos visiting, epidemic, from epi- + dēmos people — more at demagogue
Date: 1603
1. : affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time
typhoid was epidemic
2.
a. : excessively prevalent
b. : contagious 4
epidemic laughter
3. : of, relating to, or constituting an epidemic
the practice had reached epidemic proportions
• ep·i·dem·i·cal -ˈde-mi-kəl adjective
• ep·i·dem·i·cal·ly -ˈde-mi-k(ə-)lē adverb
• ep·i·de·mic·i·ty -də-ˈmi-sə-tē noun
II. noun
Date: 1757
1. : an outbreak of epidemic disease
2. : an outbreak or product of sudden rapid spread, growth, or development
an epidemic of bankruptcies