Endemic

Endemic
Present in a community at all times but in relatively low frequency. Something that is endemic is typically restricted or peculiar to a locality or region. For example, malaria is endemic in some areas of Africa. And traffic in illicit drugs is endemic in some neighborhoods. By contrast, there are the related terms "epidemic" and "pandemic": {{}}An epidemic is a sudden severe outbreak within a region or a group, as with AIDS in Africa or AIDS in intravenous drug users. A pandemic occurs when an epidemic becomes very widespread and affects a whole region, a continent, or the entire world. The word "endemic" comes from the Greek "en-", "in" + "demos", "people or population" = "endemos" = "in the population." An endemic is in the people. By contrast, "epi-" means "upon." An epidemic is visited upon the people. And "pan-" means "all." A pandemic affects all the people.
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Denoting a temporal pattern of disease occurrence in a population in which the disease occurs with predictable regularity with only relatively minor fluctations in its frequency over time. Cf.:epidemic, sporadic. SYN: enzootic. [G. endemos, native, fr. en, in, + demos, the people]

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en·dem·ic en-'dem-ik, in- adj restricted or peculiar to a locality or region <\endemic diseases> <an \endemic species> compare EPIDEMIC (1), SPORADIC
en·dem·i·cal·ly -'dem-i-k(ə-)lē adv
endemic n
1) an endemic disease or an instance of its occurrence
2) an endemic organism

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adj.
occurring frequently in a particular region or population: applied to diseases that are generally or constantly found among people in a particular area. Compare ecdemic, epidemic, pandemic.

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en·dem·ic (en-demґik) [Gr. endēmos dwelling in a place] present or usually prevalent in a population or geographical area at all times; said of a disease or agent. Cf. epidemic. See also holoendemic and hyperendemic.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Endemic — En*de mic, Endemical En*de mic*al, a. [Gr. ?, ?; ? + ? the people: cf. F. end[ e]mique.] (Med.) 1. Peculiar to a district or particular locality, or class of persons; as, an endemic disease. [1913 Webster] Note: An endemic disease is one which is …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • endemic — endemic, epidemic An endemic disease is one that is regularly or only found among a particular people or in a particular region, whereas an epidemic disease is a temporary but widespread outbreak of a disease. Epidemic, but not endemic, also… …   Modern English usage

  • Endemic — Endemic, in a broad sense, can mean belonging or native to , characteristic of , or prevalent in a particular geography, race, field, area, or environment; native to an area or scope. It also has two specific meanings:* Endemism, an organism… …   Wikipedia

  • endemic — ENDÉMIC, Ă, endemici, ce, adj. (Despre plante sau animale) Care trăieşte numai pe un anumit teritoriu; (despre unele boli) care are cauze locale, specifice unei anumite regiuni; care are caracter permanent în anumite locuri. – Din fr. endémique.… …   Dicționar Român

  • endemic — [en dem′ik] adj. [Fr endémique < endémie, endemic disease < Gr endēmia, a dwelling in < endēmos, native < en , in + dēmos, the people: see DEMOCRACY] 1. native to a particular country, nation, or region: said of plants, animals, and,… …   English World dictionary

  • Endemic — En*dem ic, n. (Med.) An endemic disease. [1913 Webster] Fear, which is an endemic latent in every human heart, sometimes rises into an epidemic. J. B. Heard. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • endemic — index domestic (indigenous), native (domestic), special, specific Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • endemic — 1660s (n.); 1759 (adj.), from Gk. endemos native, dwelling in (a place), of or belonging to a people (from en in; see EN (Cf. en ) (2) + demos people, district; see DEMOTIC (Cf. demotic)) + IC (Cf. ic). Endemical is attested from 1650s …   Etymology dictionary

  • endemic — adj indigenous, *native, autochthonous, aboriginal Antonyms: exotic: pandemic Contrasted words: foreign, alien, extraneous, *extrinsic …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • endemic — [adj] native local, regional; concept 536 …   New thesaurus

  • endemic — ► ADJECTIVE 1) (of a disease or condition) regularly found among particular people or in a certain area. 2) (of a plant or animal) native or restricted to a certain area. DERIVATIVES endemicity noun endemism noun. ORIGIN Greek end mios native …   English terms dictionary

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