Endemic: meaning, definitions and examples

This word is used to describe something, usually a disease or a condition, that is regularly found among particular people or in a certain area. It can also refer to plants and animals regularly found in a specific place.

• Malaria is endemic in many tropical and subtropical regions
• The kangaroo is endemic to Australia

Indigenous refers to people, plants, or animals that are native to a particular place, especially those that have not been brought from elsewhere. It has a strong cultural and historical connotation.

• The Indigenous peoples of the Americas have diverse cultures
• Cacti are indigenous to desert regions in North and South America

Native pertains to someone or something that originates from, or belongs to, a particular place rather than coming from somewhere else. It can have both cultural and geographical nuances.

• The oak tree is native to this area
• She is a native speaker of Spanish

Local is used to describe someone or something that belongs to or is connected with the particular area you are talking about.

• He bought vegetables from the local market
• The local bakery makes delicious bread

Used when referring to something (typically diseases or species) that is regularly found and confined to a particular geographic area or environment.

• Malaria is endemic in some tropical regions.
• The plant is endemic to the island of Madagascar.

Best suited for discussing a situation, condition, or trend that is widespread or frequently occurring in a particular area or among a group of people.

• Smoking used to be prevalent in public places.
• Misconceptions about the disease were prevalent in the community.

Appropriate when describing something that is frequently encountered, known, or not rare. Can be used for both positive and negative scenarios.

• Smartphones are common among teenagers these days.
• It's common to see traffic jams during rush hour.

Helpful when talking about something that is distributed over a large area or affects a large number of individuals. Often implies a significant impact or scope.

• The use of plastic is widespread in today's society.
• The news of the event became widespread quickly.