endemic
endemic Lexical Profile
endemic Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
(Of a disease or condition) regularly found among particular people or in a certain geographic area at a consistent baseline level.
"Malaria remains endemic in many tropical and subtropical regions around the world."
(Of a plant or animal) native and restricted to a certain geographic place or habitat.
"Lemurs are endemic to the island of Madagascar and are found nowhere else in the wild."
Characteristic of, deeply ingrained in, or prevalent within a particular group, field, or activity (especially of an undesirable quality or problem).
"The audit revealed that financial mismanagement had become endemic throughout the entire department."
• noun
A plant or animal species that is native and restricted to a specific geographic region.
"Conservationists are working to protect the island's rare endemics from habitat loss and invasive predators."
An endemic disease that is constantly present in a particular population or geographic region.
"Public health officials monitor seasonal endemics closely to prevent sudden spikes in hospital admissions."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often confused with 'epidemic' and 'pandemic' in epidemiology: an 'endemic' disease is constantly present at a baseline level in a specific region, whereas an 'epidemic' is a sudden, widespread outbreak and a 'pandemic' crosses international borders.
• Rhymes for endemic
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-17th century via French endémique or Modern Latin endemicus from Ancient Greek endēmios ('native, belonging to a people or district'), formed from en- ('in') and dēmos ('people, district').