Dictionary Definition
endemic adj
1 of or relating to a disease (or anything
resembling a disease) constantly present to greater or lesser
extent in a particular locality; "diseases endemic to the tropics";
"endemic malaria"; "food shortages and starvation are endemic in
certain parts of the world" [syn: endemical] [ant: epidemic, ecdemic]
2 native to or confined to a certain region; "the
islands have a number of interesting endemic species" [ant:
cosmopolitan]
3 originating where it is found; "the
autochthonal fauna of Australia includes the kangaroo";
"autochthonous rocks and people and folktales"; "endemic folkways";
"the Ainu are indigenous to the northernmost islands of Japan"
[syn: autochthonal,
autochthonic,
autochthonous,
indigenous]
Noun
1 a disease that is constantly present to a
greater or lesser degree in people of a certain class or in people
living in a particular location [syn: endemic
disease]
2 a plant that is native to a certain limited
area; "it is an endemic found only this island"
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Etymology
From ἐν + δῆμος. Possibly via ἔνδημος and/or French endémique.Pronunciation
- /ɛnˈdɛm.ɪk/
- Rhymes with: -ɛmɪk
Adjective
- Native to a
particular area or culture; originating where it occurs.
- Kangaroos are endemic to Australia.
- Peculiar to a
particular area or region; not found in other places.
- The endemic religion of Easter Island arrived with the Polynesian settlers.
- Prevalent in a
particular area or region.
- Malaria is endemic to the tropics.
Usage notes
An endemic disease is one which is constantly present in a given area, though usually at low levels, whereas an epidemic is widespread and has a high incidence. A sporadic disease occurs now and then at low levels.Synonyms
Antonyms
Translations
native to a particular area
- Russian: эндемический
- Spanish: endémico
peculiar to a particular area
- Spanish: endémico
prevalent in a particular area
- Dutch: endemisch
- Finnish: kotoperäinen, endeeminen
- French: endémique
- German: endemisch
- Swedish: endemisk
- Turkish: endemik
Noun
- An individual or species that is endemic to a
region.
- California's flora includes many endemics.
Translations
native to a particular area
- Russian: эндемик
Related terms
Extensive Definition
Endemic, in a broad sense, can mean "belonging"
or "native to", "characteristic of", or "prevalent in" a particular
geography, race,
field, area, or environment;
native to an area or scope.
It also has two specific meanings:
- Endemism, an organism being "endemic" means exclusively native to a place or biota
- Endemic (epidemiology), an infection is said to be "endemic" in a human population when that infection is maintained in the population without the need for external inputs.
See also
- Endemism in birds, relates to the definitions of endemism for birds only.
- Epizoology, the study of infection and disease patterns in animal populations.
- Zoonosis, any infectious disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans
- Epidemic
endemic in Afrikaans: Endemies
endemic in German: Endemisch
endemic in Spanish: Endémico
endemic in Dutch: Endemie
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
abnormality, aboriginal, acute disease,
affection, affliction, ailment, allergic disease,
allergy, atrophy, autochthonous, bacterial
disease, birth defect, blight, cardiovascular disease,
catching, chronic
disease, circulatory disease, communicable, complaint, complication, condition, congenital defect,
contagious, defect, deficiency disease,
deformity,
degenerative disease, disability, disease, disorder, distemper, endemic disease,
endocrine disease, epidemial, epidemic, epidemic disease,
epiphytotic,
epizootic, functional
disease, fungus disease, gastrointestinal disease, genetic disease,
handicap, hereditary
disease, homebred,
homegrown, iatrogenic
disease, illness,
indigenous, indisposition, infectious, infectious
disease, infective,
infirmity, inoculable, malady, malaise, morbidity, morbus, muscular disease,
natal, native, native-born, neurological
disease, nutritional disease, occupational disease, organic
disease, original,
pandemic, pandemic
disease, pathological condition, pathology, pestiferous, pestilential, plant
disease, primitive,
protozoan disease, psychosomatic disease, respiratory disease,
rockiness, secondary
disease, seediness,
sickishness,
sickness, signs, sporadic, spreading, symptomatology, symptomology, symptoms, syndrome, taking, the pip, urogenital
disease, vernacular,
virus disease, wasting disease, worm disease, zymotic