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Pandemic - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Pandemic : adj
1: epidemic over a wide geographical area; "a pandemic outbreak
of malaria"
2: existing everywhere; "pandemic fear of nuclear war"
(noun)
1: an epidemic that is geographically widespread; occurring
throughout a region or even throughout the world
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Pandemic : \Pan*dem"ic\, a. [L. pandemus, Gr. ?, ?; ?, ?, all _ ?
the people: cf. F. pand['e]mique.]
Affecting a whole people or a number of countries; everywhere
epidemic. -- n. A pandemic disease. --Harvey.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Pandemic : Pandemic: An epidemic (a sudden outbreak) that becomes very widespread and affects a whole region, a continent, or the world. By contrast: - An epidemic affects more than
the expected number of cases of disease occurring in a community or region during a given period of time. A sudden severe outbreak within a region or a group as, for example, AIDS in Africa or AIDS in
intravenous drug users.
- An endemic is present in a community at all times but in low frequency. An endemic is continuous as in the case of malaria in some areas of the world or as
with illicit drugs in some neighborhoods.
The word "pandemic" comes from the Greek "pan-", "all" _ "demos", "people or population" = "pandemos" = "all the people." A pandemic affects all (nearly all) of the people. By contrast, "epi-" means
"upon." An epidemic is visited upon the people. And "en-" means "in." An endemic is in the people.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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