'Endemic' definitions:

Definition of 'endemic'

From: WordNet
adjective
Of or relating to a disease (or anything resembling a disease) constantly present to greater or lesser extent in a particular locality; "diseases endemic to the tropics"; "endemic malaria"; "food shortages and starvation are endemic in certain parts of the world" [syn: endemic, endemical] [ant: ecdemic, epidemic]
adjective
Native to or confined to a certain region; "the islands have a number of interesting endemic species" [ant: cosmopolitan, widely distributed]
adjective
Originating where it is found; "the autochthonal fauna of Australia includes the kangaroo"; "autochthonous rocks and people and folktales"; "endemic folkways"; "the Ainu are indigenous to the northernmost islands of Japan" [syn: autochthonal, autochthonic, autochthonous, endemic, indigenous]
noun
A disease that is constantly present to a greater or lesser degree in people of a certain class or in people living in a particular location [syn: endemic, endemic disease]
noun
A plant that is native to a certain limited area; "it is an endemic found only this island"

Definition of 'Endemic'

From: GCIDE
  • Endemic \En*de"mic\, Endemical \En*de"mic*al\, a. [Gr. ?, ?; ? + ? the people: cf. F. end['e]mique.] (Med.)
  • 1. Peculiar to a district or particular locality, or class of persons; as, an endemic disease. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: An endemic disease is one which is constantly present to a greater or less degree in any place, as distinguished from an epidemic disease, which prevails widely at some one time, or periodically, and from a sporadic disease, of which a few instances occur now and then. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Belonging or native to a particular people or country; native as distinguished from introduced or naturalized; hence, regularly or ordinarily occurring in a given region; local; as, a plant endemic in Australia; -- often distinguished from exotic.
  • The traditions of folklore . . . form a kind of endemic symbolism. --F. W. H. Myers. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Definition of 'Endemic'

From: GCIDE
  • Endemic \En*dem"ic\, n. (Med.) An endemic disease. [1913 Webster]
  • Fear, which is an endemic latent in every human heart, sometimes rises into an epidemic. --J. B. Heard. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'endemic'

From: Moby Thesaurus