prevalence
pronunciation
How to pronounce prevalence in British English:
UK ['prevələns]
How to pronounce prevalence in American English:
US [ˈprɛvələns]
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- Noun:
- the quality of prevailing generally; being widespread
- (epidemiology) the ratio (for a given time period) of the number of occurrences of a disease or event to the number of units at risk in the population
- a superiority in numbers or amount
Word Origin
- prevalence (n.)
- 1590s, "fact of having mastery," from Middle French prévalence (15c.), from Late Latin praevalentia, from praevalens, present participle of praevalere (see prevalent). Meaning "condition of being widespread or general" is from 1713.
Example
- 1. The growing prevalence of alzheimer 's has also heightened anxiety about mental acuteness .
- 2. Nonetheless , the widespread prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury does represent a public health concern .
- 3. Many countries in the middle east impose strict restrictions-and also report among the lowest hiv prevalence rates .
- 4. More recent research shows a considerably higher prevalence .
- 5. Smoking prevalence has stalled at 20 percent of adults and , ominously , about the same proportion of high school seniors .