epidemia
“epidemia” means “epidemic” in Spanish (a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease).
epidemic
Also: outbreak
📝 In Action
Hubo una epidemia de gripe el invierno pasado.
A2There was a flu epidemic last winter.
Los médicos trabajan duro para detener la epidemia.
B1The doctors are working hard to stop the epidemic.
La higiene es fundamental para prevenir cualquier epidemia.
B2Hygiene is fundamental to prevent any epidemic.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: epidemia
Question 1 of 3
Which article should you use with 'epidemia'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Greek words meaning 'upon' (epi) and 'people' (demos), basically meaning something that 'falls upon the people'.
First recorded: 16th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'epidemia' to describe a sudden trend?
Yes! Just like in English, you can use it figuratively for things like an 'epidemia de risa' (an epidemic of laughter) or an 'epidemia de robos' (a wave of robberies).
Does 'epidemia' always refer to something bad?
Almost always. It implies a rapid, uncontrolled spread, which is usually associated with diseases or negative social trends.
Is the stress on the 'mi' or the 'de'?
The stress is on the 'de'. Think of it as: eh-pee-DEH-myah.