epidemic

Where does the word "epidemic" come from? It comes from Greek epidemios, passing through French before entering English (1600s).

Epidemic’s story begins in Greek: epidemios meant “prevalent among the people.” Literally among the people, describing a disease spreading through a population. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as epidemique. Carried into French medical vocabulary. It reached English by 1600s as epidemic. Settled as the word for a disease spreading rapidly through a population. Today, epidemic means a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a population.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient epidemios "prevalent among the people", literally among the people, describing a disease spreading through a population.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1500s epidemique "widespread among a population", carried into French medical vocabulary.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s epidemic "a widespread outbreak of disease", settled as the word for a disease spreading rapidly through a population.