Spanish Conversation · Level 40
75 words
Spanish word
epidemia
Pronunciation
IPA/epiˈðemja/
Meaning
- feminine nounepidemic
Example
La epidemia afectó a muchas personas.
The epidemic affected many people.
More examples
Para prevenir la epidemia, la comunidad implementó medidas sanitarias.
To prevent the epidemic, the community implemented sanitary measures.
Core concept
Rapid spread of an infectious disease among a local population.
Common phrases
vacuna contra la epidemia
vaccine against the epidemic
prevenir una epidemia
prevent an epidemic
medidas contra la epidemia
measures against the epidemic
Similar words
pandemia: Widespread outbreak of an infectious disease across many countries or regions at once.
brote: Sudden localized surge of infection cases occurring in a specific place or time.
contagio: Transfer of a disease-causing agent from one person to another through contact.
enfermedad: Condition in which the body shows signs of illness or disease.
Definition in Spanish
Fenómeno en el que una enfermedad, normalmente infecciosa, se difunde con rapidez y alcanza a más personas de lo habitual en una población o zona.
Word origin
It comes from Greek epidēmía (epi- 'upon' + dēmos 'people') and enters Spanish via Latin with the sense of a disease that spreads among people.
Usage tips
- Spanish usually names the cause with 'epidemia de [disease]', and pandemia refers to worldwide spread.
Opposites
- endemiaendemic diseasenoun
Related words
- epidemiologíaepidemiologynoun
- epidemiológicoepidemiologicaladjective