rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: -ic
English

-ic

connected with or characteristic of

Forms

  • -ic

Origin

Through French and Latin -icus from Greek -ikos.

Note

It can indicate a field, a material, a resemblance, or a tendency; it has no single literal meaning in every word.

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A simple world map with matching disease-outbreak symbols appearing in multiple widely separated countries across several continents, making international spread unmistakable without adding people.
noun / adjective

pandemic

pan-DEM-ik/pænˈdemɪk/

A disease outbreak spreading across countries or continents.

Etymology
panGreekall or every
+demGreekpeople or a district
+icEnglishconnected with or characteristic of

The pieces express “pertaining to all people.” Applied to disease, this became an adjective for widespread occurrence, then a noun for an outbreak extending beyond the smaller area an epidemic may affect.

Full entry

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