Epidemically: meaning, definitions and examples
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epidemically
[ ˌep-ɪ-ˈdem-ɪ-kli ]
disease spread
Epidemically refers to a manner in which something, particularly a disease or condition, spreads rapidly and extensively within a population. It indicates that the occurrence is similar to that of an epidemic, characterized by a quick rise in cases affecting many individuals at once.
Synonyms
contagiously, infectiously, widely
Examples of usage
- The virus spread epidemically throughout the city.
- The flu season escalated epidemically last year.
- The disease was reported to be spreading epidemically in multiple countries.
- The misinformation about health issues circulated epidemically on social media.
Translations
Translations of the word "epidemically" in other languages:
🇵🇹 epidémico
🇮🇳 महामारी के रूप में
🇩🇪 epidemisch
🇮🇩 epidemik
🇺🇦 епідемічно
🇵🇱 epidemicznie
🇯🇵 流行的に (りゅうこうてきに)
🇫🇷 épidémiquement
🇪🇸 epidémicamente
🇹🇷 epidemik olarak
🇰🇷 전염병적으로 (jeonyeombyeongjeog-eulo)
🇸🇦 وبائياً (waba'iyan)
🇨🇿 epidemicky
🇸🇰 epidemicky
🇨🇳 流行性地 (liúxíng xìng de)
🇸🇮 epidemično
🇮🇸 faraldslega
🇰🇿 эпидемиялық
🇬🇪 ეპიდემიურად (epidemiurad)
🇦🇿 epidemik olaraq
🇲🇽 epidémicamente
Etymology
The term 'epidemically' derives from the root word 'epidemic,' which is derived from the Greek 'epidēmia.' In Greek, 'epi' means 'upon' or 'over,' while 'demos' refers to 'the people.' Therefore, the literal meaning relates to something that is 'upon the people' or affecting a large number of people at once. The addition of the adverbial suffix '-ally' transitions the term from an adjective describing a sudden outbreak to an adverb describing the manner of such outbreaks. The use of 'epidemically' in English dates back to the early 19th century, corresponding to numerous public health discussions and studies on the spread of diseases. As public health awareness has grown, the term has been increasingly used to describe rapid and widespread occurrences of not just infectious diseases, but also social phenomena.