epidemic disease
3
3.5
- noun
- /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk dɪˈziːz/
- Other groups at risk for epidemic disease might also include health care workers, travelers, and military personnel.
- cause of epidemic disease
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Watch on YouTubeWhoever heard of a epidemic disease that wasn't preceded by comets or eclipses or, you know, heavenly phenomena?
- Whoever heard of a epidemic disease that wasn't preceded by comets or eclipses or, you know, heavenly phenomena?
Examples
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The consolidation of Native peoples in the nineteenth century allowed epidemic diseases to rage through their communities.
Academic text (1995) -
Diseases are conquered, sir, even very old, epidemic diseases.
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Less certain is how far north the epidemic diseases spread.
Academic text (1993) -
The theory was that miasma was the only cause of epidemic disease.
Academic text (2013) -
There are numerous slides showing statistical data regarding the mortality rates of various epidemic diseases.
Blog text (34) -
At the same time, periodic waves of epidemic disease exposed the limits of contemporary medicine and contributed to the fear of social dislocation and disorder.
Academic text (2014) -
Colonial Spaniards recorded much information about the epidemic disease decimation of Native peoples in central New Spain.
Academic text (1993) -
Mexico's rich historical record of epidemic disease is documented in archives of demographic data that include census records, health records, death certificates, and accounts of physicians.
Academic text (2014) -
The toll exacted by smallpox and other epidemic diseases must have been extremely high in the past, and cholera and influenza continue to claim lives.
Academic text (2003) -
During the outbreak, many people were affected by an epidemic disease that spread rapidly through the community.
Synonyms
212
4.6
A disease that spreads to many people in one area at the same time
194
3.5
A sudden start of disease or violence that affects many people
192
6.6
A very serious disease that spreads quickly and kills many people
46
3.0
A disease caused by germs that can spread from person to person
42
4.0
A disease that spreads across many countries and affects many people
22
9.8
A very large disease outbreak that kills many people
21
6.8
The spread of an infectious disease between people
1
7.8
A disease that kills many people quickly, for example the plague
Antonyms
- Specialized
1
4.6
A disease that occurs regularly in a particular place or group of people
How Widespread
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning of 'epidemic disease' is directly compositional: 'epidemic' (affecting many people/rapid spread) modifies 'disease', so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a disease spreading widely. This modifier+noun pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows regular English composition, making it immediately understandable to B1 learners.
Etymology
Epidemic disease may come from old words meaning epidemic 'upon the people', creating the image of an illness falling on many people at once. So, epidemic disease means a sickness that spreads quickly through a community.