'Epidemic' definitions:
Definition of 'epidemic'
From: WordNet
adjective
(especially of medicine) of disease or anything resembling a disease; attacking or affecting many individuals in a community or a population simultaneously; "an epidemic outbreak of influenza" [ant: ecdemic, endemic, endemical]
noun
A widespread outbreak of an infectious disease; many people are infected at the same time
Definition of 'Epidemic'
From: GCIDE
- Epidemic \Ep`i*dem"ic\, Epidemical \Ep`i*dem"ic*al\, a. [L. epidemus, Gr. ?, ?, among the people, epidemic; ? in + ? people: cf. F. ['e]pid['e]mique. Cf. Demagogue.]
- 1. (Med.) Common to, or affecting at the same time, a large number in a community; -- applied to a disease which, spreading widely, attacks many persons at the same time; as, an epidemic disease; an epidemic catarrh, fever, etc. See Endemic. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Spreading widely, or generally prevailing; affecting great numbers, as an epidemic does; as, epidemic rage; an epidemic evil. [1913 Webster]
- It was the epidemical sin of the nation. --Bp. Burnet. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Epidemic'
From: GCIDE
- Epidemic \Ep`i*dem"ic\, n. [Cf. Epidemy.]
- 1. (Med.) An epidemic disease. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Anything which takes possession of the minds of people as an epidemic does of their bodies; as, an epidemic of terror. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'epidemic'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abounding,
- abundant,
- affluent,
- all-sufficing,
- ambulatory plague,
- ample,
- aplenty,
- average,
- besetting,
- black death,
- black plague,
- bottomless,
- bounteous,
- bountiful,
- bubonic plague,
- catching,
- cellulocutaneous plague,
- common,
- communicable,
- compact,
- contagious,
- copious,
- current,
- defervescing plague,
- diffuse,
- dominant,
- effuse,
- endemic,
- epidemial,
- epigrammatic,
- epiphytotic,
- epizootic,
- exhaustless,
- extravagant,
- exuberant,
- fat,
- fertile,
- flush,
- full,
- galore,
- general,
- generous,
- glandular plague,
- growth,
- hemorrhagic plague,
- in plenty,
- in quantity,
- inexhaustible,
- infectious,
- infective,
- inoculable,
- larval plague,
- lavish,
- liberal,
- luxuriant,
- many,
- maximal,
- meaty,
- much,
- murrain,
- normal,
- numerous,
- opulent,
- ordinary,
- outbreak,
- overflowing,
- pandemia,
- pandemic,
- pest,
- pesthole,
- pestiferous,
- pestilence,
- pestilential,
- plague,
- plague spot,
- plenitudinous,
- plenteous,
- plentiful,
- plenty,
- pneumonic plague,
- popular,
- predominant,
- predominating,
- premonitory plague,
- prevailing,
- prevalent,
- prodigal,
- productive,
- profuse,
- profusive,
- rampant,
- rash,
- regnant,
- reigning,
- replete,
- rich,
- rife,
- riotous,
- routine,
- ruling,
- running,
- running over,
- scourge,
- septicemic plague,
- siderating plague,
- sporadic,
- spread,
- spreading,
- standard,
- stereotyped,
- superabundant,
- taking,
- teeming,
- tuberculosis,
- universal,
- upsurge,
- usual,
- wealthy,
- well-found,
- well-furnished,
- well-provided,
- well-stocked,
- white plague,
- wholesale,
- wide-ranging,
- widespread,
- zymotic