Dictionary
ep•i•dem•ic
Pronunciation: (ep"i-dem'ik), [key]—
adj.
1. Also,ep"i•dem'i•cal.(of a disease) affecting many persons at the same time, and spreading from person to person in a locality where the disease is not permanently prevalent.
2. extremely prevalent; widespread.
—
n.
1. a temporary prevalence of a disease.
2. a rapid spread or increase in the occurrence of something:
an epidemic of riots. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.