Obs. Forms: 5 epi-, epydemye, impe-, ipydymye, ipedemye, 8–9 epidemy. [a. OF. ypidime, impidemie, Fr. épidemie, ad. late L. epidemia, epidimia, Gr. ἐπιδημία prevalence of an epidemic, f. ἐπιδήμι-ος, f. ἐπί + δῆμος people.] An epidemic disease, esp. the plague. Also attrib.
1472. Sir J. Paston, in Paston Lett., No. 703, III. 59. Many off the sowders that went to hym into Bretayne been dede off the fflyxe, and other ipedemye.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 22/1. A grete pestelence whiche was called the botch of impedymye.
1494. Fabyan, V. cxxxv. 121. In the yere folowyng dyed of the epedemye sikenesse, the holy abbesse of Ely. Ibid., VII. 612. And there also they dyed sore of ye sykenesse of ipydymye.
1809. State Paper, in Ann. Reg., 853/2. However this destructive epidemy originated.
1809. Pearson, in Phil. Trans., XCIX. 321. That constant epidemy of the British islands, the winter chronical pneumonia.
fig. 1813. Examiner, 14 Feb., 103/1. We discover this withering epidemy.
