Synonyms: epidemic
Definition: a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease; many people are infected at the same time
Similar words: outbreak, irruption, eruption
Definition: a sudden violent spontaneous occurrence (usually of some undesirable condition)
Usage: the outbreak of hostilities
Synonyms: epidemic
Definition: (especially of medicine) of disease or anything resembling a disease; attacking or affecting many individuals in a community or a population simultaneously
Usage: an epidemic outbreak of influenza
Similar words: epiphytotic
Definition: (of plants) epidemic among plants of a single kind especially over a wide area
Usage: an epiphytotic blight of potatoes; epiphytotic conditions associated with a single-plant agriculture
Similar words: epizootic
Definition: (of animals) epidemic among animals of a single kind within a particular region
Usage: an epizootic disease
Similar words: pandemic
Definition: epidemic over a wide geographical area
Usage: a pandemic outbreak of malaria
Similar words: pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, plaguey
Definition: likely to spread and cause an epidemic disease
Usage: a pestilential malignancy in the air- Jonathan Swift; plaguey fevers