epidemic
释义
A sudden, widespread outbreak of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.
流行病，某一时期在社区中突然广泛暴发的传染病。
A rapid, widespread occurrence of something undesirable.
（不良事物的）盛行、泛滥。
Spreading rapidly and widely among many people.
流行性的，在人群中迅速广泛传播的。
词根拆分
词根派生epi-（在……之上、之中）+ dem（人民）+ -ic = '降临到人群头上的'。指一段时间内在社区暴发的疾病。对比 endemic（停在一处）和 pandemic（波及所有）——前缀就是控制'传播多远'的旋钮。
词根 demo 还连着 9 个词常用搭配
- 1.flu epidemic流感疫情
- 2.contain an epidemic控制疫情
- 3.epidemic proportions流行病规模
- 4.obesity epidemic肥胖症泛滥
例句
- 1.
The flu epidemic forced several schools to close for a week.
这场流感疫情迫使几所学校停课一周。
- 2.
Doctors worked around the clock to contain the cholera epidemic.
医生们昼夜不停地工作以控制霍乱疫情。
- 3.
There is a growing epidemic of loneliness among young people.
年轻人中孤独感正日益泛滥。
- 4.
The disease reached epidemic proportions within a month.
这种疾病在一个月内就达到了流行病的规模。
易混词辨析
epidemic / pandemic / endemic 都讲疾病'在人群中'，区别在范围。endemic = 长期存在于某地区（疟疾是热带地方病）；epidemic = 社区中突然暴发；pandemic = 已跨越国界与大洲的 epidemic。规模：endemic < epidemic < pandemic。