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).
Derivatives:
epidemically adv.
Etymology: F {eacute}pid{eacute}mique f. {eacute}pid{eacute}mie f. LL epidemia f. Gk epidemia prevalence of disease f. epidemios (adj.) (as EPI-, demos the people)