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endemic

adjective
en·​dem·​ic | \ en-ˈde-mik How to pronounce endemic (audio) , in-\

Definition of endemic

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1a : belonging or native to a particular people or country
b : characteristic of or prevalent in a particular field, area, or environment problems endemic to translation the self-indulgence endemic in the film industry
2 : restricted or peculiar to a locality or region endemic diseases an endemic species

endemic

noun
en·​dem·​ic | \ en-ˈde-mik How to pronounce endemic (audio) , in-\

Definition of endemic (Entry 2 of 2)

: an organism that is restricted or peculiar to a locality or region : an endemic organism
Other Words from endemic Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about endemic

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Other Words from endemic

Adjective

endemically \ en-​ˈde-​mi-​k(ə-​)lē How to pronounce endemically (audio) , in-​ \ adverb
endemicity \ ˌen-​ˌde-​ˈmi-​sə-​tē How to pronounce endemicity (audio) , -​də-​ˈmi-​ \ noun
endemism \ ˈen-​də-​ˌmi-​zəm How to pronounce endemism (audio) \ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for endemic

Synonyms: Adjective

aboriginal, autochthonous, born, domestic, indigenous, native

Antonyms: Adjective

nonindigenous, nonnative

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Choose the Right Synonym for endemic

Adjective

native, indigenous, endemic, aboriginal mean belonging to a locality. native implies birth or origin in a place or region and may suggest compatibility with it. native tribal customs indigenous applies to that which is not only native but which, as far as can be determined, has never been introduced or brought from elsewhere. indigenous plants endemic implies being peculiar to a region. a disease endemic in Africa aboriginal implies having no known others preceding in occupancy of a particular region. the aboriginal peoples of Australia

Did You Know?

Adjective

If you translate it literally, endemic means "in the population." It derives from the Greek endēmos, which joins en, meaning "in," and dēmos, meaning "population." "Endemic" is often used to characterize diseases that are generally found in a particular area; malaria, for example, is said to be endemic to tropical and subtropical regions. This use differs from that of the related word epidemic in that it indicates a more or less constant presence in a particular population or area rather than a sudden, severe outbreak within that region or group. The word is also used by biologists to characterize the plant and animal species that are only found in a given area.

Examples of endemic in a Sentence

Adjective

 Divorce has become so endemic in our society that a whole lore has risen up around it: that divorce is a temporary crisis; that so many children have experienced their parents' divorce that children nowadays do not worry much about it; that in fact it makes things easier, and it is itself a mere rite of passage; that if the parents feel better, so will the children. — Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn, New Republic, 6 May 2002 Situated only 250 miles off the coast of Africa, Madagascar is biologically unique. Not only does it have a rich animal and plant life, it also houses a huge number of endemic species found nowhere else on earth. — Jim Milliot et al., Publishers Weekly, 15 May 2000 The rap performers I enjoy are those who emphasize production values, songcraft and that quality of playfulness endemic to all good pop. — Francis Davis, Atlantic, October 1993 the fish is not an endemic species of the lake, and it is rapidly devouring the native trout population
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Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

 Moldova is not indifferent to the endemic alcohol abuse within its borders. — Madeline Roache / Puhoi, Time, "'You’re Not a Person if You Don’t Drink.' How This Tiny European Country Developed the World's Worst Drinking Problem," 29 Aug. 2019 Vaccinating for Lyme, therefore, would be a choice — an option for worried parents who want their children to be able to play safely outside, and protection for anyone who spends time in woody or grassy areas in endemic areas. — Allen Steere, BostonGlobe.com, "Lyme disease: How we discovered it and where we go from here," 22 Aug. 2019 Her portrait of the parasitic relationship between fans and their idols is hilarious; her take on the record business exposes an industry of endemic pomposity and abuse. — Ron Charles Critic, Washington Post, "In Nell Zink’s ‘Doxology,’ D.C. punk and modern politics collide," 19 Aug. 2019 But perhaps a look at the endemic circumstances that have brought the world to this point is in order. — The Christian Science Monitor, "proactive approach to wildfire prevention," 19 Aug. 2019 There's no tangible reason locs, braids, or twists should be viewed any differently from a buzzcut or blowout, and yet people of color are continually discriminated against for wearing their hair in styles endemic to their culture. — Lindsay Schallon, Glamour, "Employers Have Policed Black Hair for Decades. These Four Women Have Had Enough," 13 Aug. 2019 By killing off many of New Zealand's endemic birds, humans destroyed 50 million years' worth of evolutionary history. — Christopher Intagliata, Scientific American, "Extinction Wipes Out Evolution's Hard Work," 5 Aug. 2019 Kashmir is now a witch’s brew of endemic scare and suspense. — Riyaz Wani, Quartz India, "Kashmir descends into a witch’s brew of fear and suspense," 4 Aug. 2019 These numbers reinforce an endemic cultural pattern. — Allyson Kapin, Quartz, "We’ve debunked tech’s “pipeline problem.” So why aren’t more women getting funding?," 24 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 The species hails from Madagascar, along with a whole range of other oddball endemics. — Molly Marquand, Good Housekeeping, "5 Of The Easiest Houseplants To Grow From Cuttings," 14 Dec. 2017 Perhaps mow down the forest and focus wholly on traditional conservation of endemics plants. — National Geographic, "Mysterious Island Experiment Could Help Us Colonize Other Planets," 8 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'endemic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of endemic

Adjective

1759, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1926, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for endemic

Adjective

borrowed from French & New Latin; French endĂ©mique, borrowed from New Latin endēmicus, from Medieval Latin *endēmia "disease fixed in one locality" + New Latin -icus -ic entry 1; Medieval Latin *endēmia, probably from Greek Ă©ndēmos "at home, living in a place, native, confined to one area (of a disease, in galen)" (from en- en- entry 2 + -dēmos, adjective derivative of dĂȘmos "district, country, people") on the model of epidēmia "disease affecting a large number of individuals" — more at demo-, epidemic entry 1

Note: Medieval Latin *endēmia is presumed on the basis of Middle French endemie, occurring in Thomas Le Forestier's Le regime contre epidimie et pestilence (Rouen, 1495) (see Revue de linguistique romane, vol. 36 [1972], p. 231).

Noun

derivative of endemic entry 1

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More Definitions for endemic

endemic

adjective
How to pronounce endemic (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of endemic

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