Endemic
WordNet
adjective
(1) Originating where it is found
"The autochthonal fauna of Australia includes the kangaroo"
"Autochthonous rocks and people and folktales"
"Endemic folkways"
"The Ainu are indigenous to the northernmost islands of Japan"
(2) Native to or confined to a certain region
"The islands have a number of interesting endemic species"
(3) Of or relating to a disease (or anything resembling a disease) constantly present to greater or lesser extent in a particular locality
"Diseases endemic to the tropics"
"Endemic malaria"
"Food shortages and starvation are endemic in certain parts of the world"
noun
(4) A plant that is native to a certain limited area
"It is an endemic found only this island"
(5) A disease that is constantly present to a greater or lesser degree in people of a certain class or in people living in a particular location
WiktionaryText
Etymology
From + . Possibly via and/or French .
Adjective
- Native to a particular area or culture; originating where it occurs.
- Kangaroos are endemic to Australia.
- Peculiar to a particular area or region; not found in other places.
- The endemic religion of Easter Island arrived with the Polynesian settlers.
- 1998, Gillian Catriona Ramchand, Deconstructing the Lexicon, in Miriam Butt and Wilhelm Geuder, eds. “The Projection of Arguments”
- These problems are endemic to the theory of thematic roles as currently conceived, because the classification it implies simply does not correspond to legitimate linguistic semantic definitions.
- Prevalent in a particular area or region.
- Malaria is endemic to the tropics.
Usage notes
An endemic disease is one which is constantly present in a given area, though usually at low levels, whereas an epidemic is widespread and has a high incidence. A sporadic disease occurs now and then at low levels.
Noun
- An individual or species that is endemic to a region.
- California’s flora includes many endemics.