pandemic

1 of 2

adjective

pan·​dem·​ic pan-ˈde-mik How to pronounce pandemic (audio)
1
: occurring over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or continents) and typically affecting a significant proportion of the population
pandemic malaria
The 1918 flu was pandemic and claimed millions of lives.
2
: characterized by very widespread growth or extent : epidemic entry 1 sense 3
a problem of pandemic proportions

pandemic

2 of 2

noun

plural pandemics
1
: an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or continents) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population : a pandemic outbreak of a disease
a global pandemic
Influenza pandemics seem to strike every few decades and to kill by the million—at least 1m in 1968; perhaps 100m in the "Spanish" flu of 1918-19.The Economist
2
: an outbreak or product of sudden rapid spread, growth, or development : epidemic entry 2 sense 2
We have been talking about the pandemic of racism for centuries.Roger Griffith
Nobel-prize winning economist Robert Shiller warns a pandemic of fear could tip the economy into an undeserved depression.Stephanie Landsman
Usage of Endemic, Epidemic, and Pandemic

This trio of terms describes various degrees of an infectious disease's spread. The process begins with an outbreak—a sudden rise in the presence of a disease. An outbreak that can't be stopped or slowed, and in which the disease is spreading rapidly to many people within a localized community or region (such as a single country), is called an epidemic. The word pandemic refers to an epidemic that has gone international: the disease, once localized in scope, now starts to appear in other countries and even on other continents, typically infecting a large number of people in a short amount of time. A pandemic often has significant economic and social ramifications due to its global impact. If a disease lingers for a long time as an epidemic or a pandemic, it may eventually become endemic to an area. The word endemic describes a disease that persists at a consistent level within a region with fairly predictable rates of infection and spread, making it easier to prevent future outbreaks. Epidemic, pandemic, and endemic all share the Greek root dêmos, meaning "district, country, people."

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a pandemic and an epidemic?

An epidemic is an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time. A pandemic is a kind of epidemic: one which has spread across a wider geographic range than an epidemic, and which has affected a significant portion of the population.

When does an outbreak become a pandemic?

An outbreak is “a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease” and typically is confined to a localized area or a specific group of people. Should an outbreak become more severe, and less localized, it may be characterized as an epidemic. If it broadens still further, and affects a significant portion of the population, the disease may be characterized as a pandemic.

What are some examples of pandemics?

There have been a number of pandemics since the beginning of the 20th century: the H1N1 pandemic of 2009, the Spanish flu of 1918/19 (which did not originate in Spain), as well as flu pandemics in 1957 and 1968, and now the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2019. Among the best known pandemics is the Black Death, a plague which spread across Asia and Europe in the middle of the 14th century.

Examples of pandemic in a Sentence

Noun … globalization, the most thoroughgoing socioeconomic upheaval since the Industrial Revolution, which has set off a pandemic of retrogressive nationalism, regional separatism, and religious extremism. Martin Filler, New York Review of Books, 24 Sept. 2009
… it also hopes to utilize this cultural investigation to better understand strategies to reduce the massive pandemic we now understand cigarette smoking to produce. Allan M. Brandt, The Cigarette Century, 2007
There is evidence that this gambling pandemic is going global. Gerri Hirshey, New York Times Magazine, 17 July 1994
In ten years that it raged, this pandemic took or ravaged the lives of nearly five million people before it disappeared, as mysteriously and suddenly as it had arrived, in 1927. Oliver Sacks, Awakenings, 1973
The 1918 flu pandemic claimed millions of lives.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The share of immigrants in construction has only recently started to rebound after years of fewer immigrants joining the industry due to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on travel and border crossings and the Trump administration’s clampdown on immigration. Tami Luhby, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 The majority of the employees LinkedIn surveyed recognized that professionals who joined the workforce during the pandemic lack communication and networking skills, as well as the informal cues that traditionally influence office behavior. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Europe, 21 Mar. 2024 Officials were late to respond to rising prices in early 2021, betting that the sudden pop was a temporary bug of pandemic recovery. Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 The county also deployed $15 million in federal pandemic funds for affordable housing developments, as well as $1 million in federal money for housing in Milwaukee's Uptown neighborhood. Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024 The viewership for the Oscars has been way down in the pandemic years, though it’s been creeping up since the 2021 telecast, which hit a historic low of 10.4 million. The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2024 Editorial: Shame on FEMA for trying to stiff L.A. for millions spent on a pandemic homeless program. Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 President Joe Biden introduced the plan in August after the Supreme Court blocked a sweeping plan to relieve up to $20,000 in student loans for some borrowers under a pandemic measure. Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 26 Feb. 2024 Visit Anaheim received its pandemic payments from the city before Anaheim got any federal CARES Act funding, Lyster said. Michael Slaten, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024
Noun
In South Florida, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a huge influx of wealthy New Yorkers and Californians. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2024 Many members entered the workforce during the pandemic, and have been forced to deal with sky-high inflation. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024 The referendums stem from Republican scrutiny of private grants funded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg that helped clerks run elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2024 One reason is saturation: If people renovated during the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re done. Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024 Like an adjacent office and storage building, named for the late newspaper publisher and museum trustee David C. Copley, the baggage depot was shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic and did not reopen. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 The complex was originally slated to be done in mid-2022, but the timeline was pushed back, first by the COVID-19 pandemic, and later by the need for more time to complete the new buildings to the county's satisfaction. Detroit Free Press, 21 Mar. 2024 In 2020, during a virtual appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Crowe said his sons were quarantining in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jessica Booth, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024 During the pandemic, the African Conservancies Fund supported around 100,000 people in the Maasai Mara, replacing tourism income while safeguarding ecosystems. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pandemic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Greek pándēmos "of all the people, public, common, (of diseases) widespread (in galen)" (from pan- pan- + -dēmos, adjective derivative of dêmos "district, country, people") + -ic entry 1 — more at demo-

Noun

noun derivative of pandemic entry 1, after epidemic entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1666, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pandemic was in 1666

Dictionary Entries Near pandemic

Cite this Entry

“Pandemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pandemic. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pandemic

1 of 2 adjective
pan·​dem·​ic pan-ˈdem-ik How to pronounce pandemic (audio)
: occurring over a wide area and affecting many individuals
pandemic malaria

pandemic

2 of 2 noun
: a pandemic outbreak of a disease

Medical Definition

pandemic

1 of 2 adjective
pan·​dem·​ic pan-ˈdem-ik How to pronounce pandemic (audio)
: occurring over a wide geographic area (as multiple countries or continents) and typically affecting a significant proportion of the population
pandemic malaria
pandemic influenza

pandemic

2 of 2 noun
: an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area (as multiple countries or continents) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population : a pandemic outbreak of a disease
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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