incidence

Definition

The number of new cases of a disease occurring in a population during a specific time period—epidemiology's way of tracking whether we should panic or just be mildly concerned. Not to be confused with prevalence, which epidemiologists will correct you about smugly.

Example Usage

The incidence of COVID-19 spiked after Thanksgiving, shocking absolutely no one who understands airborne viruses and family gatherings.

Origin

From Latin 'incidere' meaning 'to fall upon,' used epidemiologically since 19th century

Fun Fact

Incidence rates can make diseases seem more or less scary depending on how you present them—100 per 100,000 sounds scarier than 0.1% even though they're the same.

Source: Epidemiology and public health terminology

Related Terms

Advanced

hyperplasia

When your cells get a little too enthusiastic about multiplying and create more of themselves than necessary, making tissues or organs larger through sheer cellular overachievement. Unlike hypertrophy (where cells just get bigger), hyperplasia is about quantity over quality—your body cranking out extra cells like a factory that lost the memo about production limits. It's not always cancer, but it's definitely something your doctor wants to keep an eye on.

🏥 Healthcare / Medical

Beginner

malaise

A general feeling of discomfort, illness, or unease whose exact cause is difficult to identify. The medical equivalent of 'I just don't feel right' that doctors actually take seriously.

🏥 Healthcare / Medical

Advanced

ultrafiltration

A filtration process using membranes with tiny pores to separate small molecules from large ones—essentially a molecular bouncer that only lets the small stuff through. Used in everything from kidney dialysis to water purification, it's like a very selective coffee filter for liquids. The 'ultra' part just means the pores are really, really small.

🏥 Healthcare / Medical

Intermediate

adherence

In healthcare, the extent to which a patient actually follows their treatment plan instead of just nodding politely at their doctor and doing whatever they want. It's the medical profession's polite way of tracking whether you're taking your meds, showing up to appointments, or just using that prescription as a bookmark. Low adherence rates keep pharmaceutical companies and doctors equally frustrated.

🏥 Healthcare / Medical

Beginner

neurosurgery

The surgical specialty focused on operating on the brain, spine, and nervous system—basically the medical field where millimeter-level precision meets life-altering consequences. It's what separates brilliant surgeons from merely competent ones, requiring steady hands, spatial reasoning, and the ability to remain calm while literally holding someone's consciousness. Also known as the specialty where everyone asks 'but what if you sneeze?'

🏥 Healthcare / Medical

Intermediate

petechiae

Tiny red or purple spots on the skin caused by broken capillaries bleeding under the surface. Your skin's version of a pointillist painting, but way more concerning.

🏥 Healthcare / Medical

Translate This Term

See “incidence” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Beginner

bottleneck

The frustrating chokepoint in any process where everything slows to a maddening crawl because one step can't keep up wit...