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endemic

 - 6 dictionary results

en⋅dem⋅ic

  [en-dem-ik]
Use endemic in a Sentence
–adjective Also, en⋅dem⋅i⋅cal.
1. natural to or characteristic of a specific people or place; native; indigenous: endemic folkways; countries where high unemployment is endemic.
2. belonging exclusively or confined to a particular place: a fever endemic to the tropics.
–noun
3. an endemic disease.
Origin:
1655–65; < NL endēmicus, equiv. to Gk éndēm(os) endemic (en- en- 2 + dêm(os) people + -os adj. suffix) + L -icus -ic

Related forms:
en⋅dem⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
en⋅de⋅mism  [en-duh-miz-uhm] , en⋅de⋅mic⋅i⋅ty  [en-duh-mis-i-tee] , noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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en·dem·ic   (ěn-děm'ĭk)   
adj.  

  1. Prevalent in or peculiar to a particular locality, region, or people: diseases endemic to the tropics. See Synonyms at native.

  2. Ecology Native to or confined to a certain region.

n.   Ecology
An endemic plant or animal.

[From Greek endēmos, native, endemic : en-, in; see en-2 + dēmos, people; see dā- in Indo-European roots.]
en·dem'i·cal·ly adv., en·dem'ism n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

endemic 
1662, from Gk. endemos "native," from en- "in" + demos "people, district" (see demotic).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1en·dem·ic
Pronunciation: en-'dem-ik, in-
Function: adjective
: restricted or peculiar to a locality or region<endemic diseases> endemic species> —compare EPIDEMIC 1, SPORADIC —en·dem·i·cal·ly /-'dem-i-k(&-)lE/ adverb

Main Entry: 2endemic
Function: noun
1 : an endemic disease or an instance of its occurrence
2 : an endemic organism
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

endemic en·dem·ic (ěn-děm'ĭk)
adj.

  1. Prevalent in or restricted to a particular region, community, or group of people. Used of a disease.

  2. Enzootic.

en·dem'i·cal·ly adv.
en·dem'ism n.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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