Meanings
plural syndemics
- An aggregation of two or more diseases that interact synergistically within a population.
In sum malnutrition, infectious disease, and cognitive impairment constitute a syndemic that is rooted in and perpetuates suboptimal social, political, and economic conditions.
2009, Elaine Marie Bennett, Understanding Childhood Malnutrition in a Maya Village in Guatemala, page 111 more example
The aggregation of these diseases on a background of social and economic disparity exacerbates the adverse effects of each separate disease. COVID-19 is not a pandemic. It is a syndemic.
2020 September 26, Richard Horton, “Offline: COVID-19 is not a pandemic”, in The Lancet, volume 396, number 10255, →DOI
- not comparableDescribing such a situation
The syndemic nature of the threat we face means that a more nuanced approach is needed if we are to protect the health of our communities.
2020 September 26, Richard Horton, “Offline: COVID-19 is not a pandemic”, in The Lancet, volume 396, number 10255, →DOI
Origin
Coined by Merrill Singer in the mid-1990s. Blend of synergy + demic (“of a population”). Compare epidemic (literally “upon the people”).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan sindèmia, sindèmic
- sindèmiaaggregation of two or more diseases
- sindèmicTranslations
French syndémie, syndémique
- syndémieaggregation of two or more diseases
- syndémiqueTranslations
Portuguese sindemia
- sindemiaaggregation of two or more diseases
Spanish sindemia, sindémico
- sindemiaaggregation of two or more diseases
- sindémicoTranslations
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with syndemic
Cite this entry
syndemic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/syndemic
“syndemic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/syndemic. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “syndemic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/syndemic.
Source: syndemic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.