Endemic: meaning, example and synonyms
Endemicadj. Regularly found among a particular people or in a particular region; native to one area.
Example
The island's tortoises are endemic, found nowhere else on Earth, which makes the arrival of invasive goats especially dangerous for their survival.
- Part of speech
- adjective
- Synonyms
- native, indigenous, local, prevalent
- Antonyms
- foreign, introduced, exotic, nonnative
- Memory tip
- en (in) + demos (people/place): it lives IN one place only.
Endemic is in batch 19. Study it with the rest of the batch, then pass the batch quiz to learn it. No account needed; progress is saved on this device.
Check yourself: Endemic in context
The lemurs of Madagascar are ______ to the island, having evolved there in isolation for millions of years and occurring naturally nowhere else.
Answer: endemic. Animals found naturally in only one place are endemic to it. pseudonymous (under a false name), tangential (only loosely related) and indefatigable (tireless) don't fit this context.
Corruption had become so ______ in the port authority that officials regarded bribes as an ordinary part of doing business rather than a crime.
Answer: endemic. Corruption so widespread that it seems normal within a group is endemic. pseudonymous (under a false name), auxiliary (backup) and indefatigable (tireless) don't fit this context.