flu epidemic
5
2.8
- noun
- /flu ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/
:
epidemia de gripe
- Five days after Lavin was born in Aurora, Minn., on Nov. 12, 1918, his mother died in a flu epidemic.
- the flu epidemic of 1918
You've seen a flu epidemic pop up out of nowhere, right?
- You've seen a flu epidemic pop up out of nowhere, right?
Examples
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Health officials warned that a flu epidemic could lead to increased hospitalizations this season.
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For instance, a sharp rise in winter death days might indicate a big flu epidemic coming.
Fiction book (2001) -
In 1918, the whole world was seized by a deadly flu epidemic, and Robert caught it too.
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A deadly flu epidemic had swept the Far East, killing millions of people globally.
Fiction book (2001) -
No doubt the terrible Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 had taken Annabelle Constance Briggs in the prime of life.
Fiction book (2000) -
The flu epidemic last winter affected thousands of people in our community.
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Many schools were forced to close during the flu epidemic to protect the health of students.
Synonyms
300
4.6
A disease that spreads to many people in one area at the same time
188
3.5
A sudden start of disease or violence that affects many people
How Widespread
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a widespread outbreak of influenza' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'flu' (influenza) with 'epidemic' (large-scale spread of disease). This noun-noun combination follows regular compositional patterns found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the phrase.
Etymology
Flu epidemic is a picture of the flu moving quickly from person to person, like a wave through a crowd, so many people become sick at once. That's why flu epidemic means 'a widespread outbreak of influenza'.