Epidemiology
/ˌɛpɪˌdiːmiˈɒlədʒi/noun
The branch of medicine that studies the distribution and causes of disease in populations.
Did you know?Epidemiology is built from Greek roots meaning “upon the people,” and the same *dēmos* root also lives in words like democracy and demagogue—proof that even disease-tracking carries the language of the crowd.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
epidēmía
“a stay, visit, or sojourn among a people”
Ancient Greek
Greek
epidēmios
“among the people, native, or prevalent in a place”
Late Latin
Latin
epidēmia
“an epidemic disease or outbreak”
17th–18th Century
Latin/English
epidemia / epidemic
“a contagious disease affecting many people in a region”
19th Century
English
epidemiology
“the study of epidemics and their causes and spread”
Modern English
English
epidemiology
“the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states in populations”