adjective Also en·dem·i·cal.
- natural to or characteristic of a specific people or place; native; indigenous: endemic folkways; countries where high unemployment is endemic.
- belonging exclusively or confined to a particular place: a fever endemic to the tropics.
noun
- an endemic disease.
adjective Also: endemial (ɛnˈdɛmɪəl), endemical
- present within a localized area or peculiar to persons in such an area
noun
- an endemic disease or plant
1660s, from Greek endemos “native, dwelling in (a place), of or belonging to a people” (from en “in;” see en- (2) + demos “people, district;” see demotic) + -ic. From 1759 as an adjective. Endemical is attested from 1650s.
adj.
- Prevalent in or restricted to a particular region, community, or group of people. Used of a disease.
- Enzootic.
- Relating to a disease or pathogen that is found in or confined to a particular location, region, or people. Malaria, for example, is endemic to tropical regions. See also epidemic pandemic.
- Native to a specific region or environment and not occurring naturally anywhere else. The giant sequoia is endemic to the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada. Compare alien indigenous.