endemic Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun 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
endemic disease.
noun a plant that is native to a certain limited area
- it is an endemic found only this island
adjective of or relating to a disease (or anything resembling a disease) constantly present to greater or lesser extent in a particular locality
endemical.
- diseases endemic to the tropics
- endemic malaria
- food shortages and starvation are endemic in certain parts of the world
adjective native to or confined to a certain region
- the islands have a number of interesting endemic species
adjective satellite originating where it is found
autochthonal; indigenous; autochthonous; autochthonic.
- 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

Gr. , + the people: cf. F. endémique.

(Med.) Peculiar to a district or particular locality, or class of persons; as, an endemic disease. ✍ An endemic disease is one which is constantly present to a greater or less degree in any place, as distinguished from an epidemic disease, which prevails widely at some one time, or periodically, and from a sporadic disease, of which a few instances occur now and then.

(Med.) An endemic disease.
Fear, which is an endemic latent in every human heart, sometimes rises into an epidemic. J. B. Heard.