endemic disease
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GC: n

S: NCBI – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh?term=Endemic+Diseases (last access: 6 September 2015); SDir – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/endemic-disease (last access: 4 May 2025).

N: 1. – endemic (adj): borrowed from French & New Latin; French endémique, borrowed from New Latin endēmicus, from Medieval Latin *endēmia “disease fixed in one locality” + New Latin -icus -ic. The first known use of endemic was in 1662.

  • 1a: belonging or native to a particular people or country;
  • 1b: characteristic of or prevalent in a particular field, area, or environment.
  • 2: restricted or peculiar to a locality or region.
endemic (n): 1. an organism that is restricted or peculiar to a locality or region : an endemic organism. 2. disease or outbreak of disease that is typically present in a particular region or population : an endemic disease.

– disease (n): Middle English disese, from Anglo-French desease, desaise, from des- dis- + eise ease. The first known use of disease was in the 14th century.

  • a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms.

2. When a disease is prevalent in an area over long periods of time, it is considered to be endemic in that area. When the prevalence of disease is subject to wide fluctuations in time, it is considered to be epidemic during periods of high prevalence. Epidemics prevailing over wide geographic areas are called pandemics.
An endemic disease is restricted to a place, as with malaria, or a people, as with Tay-Sachs. An epidemic disease may happen in a specific place, but it can spread beyond that place, as with asthma or AIDS.

3. A disease that is endemic is found in a certain geographic region or in a specific race of people. Malaria is endemic to parts of Africa because it’s hot and skeeters love it. Tay-Sachs is a genetic disease endemic to Jews and French Canadians. On the brighter side, a plant or animal can also be described as endemic to a region. If it’s in the system, it’s endemic.

4. Epidemiology: endemic disease.

  • A disease that prevails recurrently in a population or a geographical area.

S: 1. MW – https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endemic (last access: 4 May 2025). 2. Vocab – http://www.vocabulary.com/articles/chooseyourwords/endemic-epidemic/ (last access: 6 September 2015). 3. EncBrit – http://global.britannica.com/science/endemic-disease (last access: 6 September 2015). 4. TERMIUM PLUS (last access: 4 May 2025).

SYN: endemic (depending on context)

S: MW – https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endemic, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disease (last access: 4 May 2025); GDT – https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/fiche-gdt/fiche/8356418/endemie (last access: 4 May 2025).

CR: enzootic, epidemic, epizootic, pandemic.