epidemic

/ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/

//ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"epidemic" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“epidemic” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #9,601. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#9,601
frequency rank, English
18,836
“E” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A widespread disease that affects many humans in a population.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

epidemic vs epidermis
78% similar
epidemic vs epistemic
78% similar
epidemic vs endemic
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for epidemic
PropertyValue
Headwordepidemic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/
Letters8
Frequency rank#9,601
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “epidemic” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). epidemic lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around epidemic (IPA /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #9,601 among 18,836 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for epidemic, with forms such as "eipdemic", "epdiemic", and "epiddemic". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "epidermis", "epistemic", "endemic", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French épidémique, from épidémie, from Medieval Latin epidēmia, reanalysis of plural Late Latin epidēmia, from Ancient Greek ἐπιδήμιος (epidḗmios), from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + δῆμος (dêmos, “people”). By surface analysis, epi- (“on”) + demic (“of the peop… The correct English form is epidemic, spelled E-P-I-D-E-M-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    A widespread disease that affects many humans in a population.
  2. 2
    An occurrence of a disease or disorder in a human population at a frequency higher than that expected in a given time period; an episode of outbreak and subsequent high prevalence.
  3. 3
    A heightened occurrence of anything harmful.
  4. 4
    The spreading of an idea or belief amongst a population.

Etymology

From French épidémique, from épidémie, from Medieval Latin epidēmia, reanalysis of plural Late Latin epidēmia, from Ancient Greek ἐπιδήμιος (epidḗmios), from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + δῆμος (dêmos, “people”). By surface analysis, epi- (“on”) + demic (“of the people”).

This word in other languages

epidemia(Español)épidémie(Français)Epidemie(Deutsch)epidemia(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • eipdemic
  • epdiemic
  • epiddemic
  • epideimc
  • epidemci
  • epidemicc
  • epidemmic
  • epidmeic
  • epiedmic
  • eppidemic
  • peidemic

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of epidemic - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

eipdemic2epdiemic2epiddemic1epideimc2epidemci2epidemicc1epidemmic1epidmeic2
Edit distance from "epidemic"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "epidemic"?
"epidemic" is spelled E-P-I-D-E-M-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/.
What does "epidemic" mean?
As a noun, "epidemic" means: A widespread disease that affects many humans in a population.
What words are commonly confused with "epidemic"?
"epidemic" is commonly confused with "epidermis", "epistemic", "endemic". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "epidemic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "epidemic" is /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "epidemic"?
From French épidémique, from épidémie, from Medieval Latin epidēmia, reanalysis of plural Late Latin epidēmia, from Ancient Greek ἐπιδήμιος (epidḗmios), from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + δῆμος (dêmos, “people”). By surface analysis, epi- (“on”) + demic (“o... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “epidemic”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-P-I-D-E-M-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “epidermis” - see the side-by-side comparison. epidemic vs epidermis
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list