prevalence
/ˈpɹɛvələns/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: prevalences
Sense 1
Meaning · English
The quality or condition of being prevalent; wide extension or spread.
Noun
Examples
On Starting Point this morning, Southern Poverty Law Center senior fellow Mark Potok discusses the prevalence of white supremacist groups and explains how this type of music is used as a recruitment tool.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
The total number of cases of a disease in a given statistical population at a given time, divided by the number of individuals in that population.
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “prevalence” mean?
The quality or condition of being prevalent; wide extension or spread.
Is “prevalence” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.