# widespread

Pronunciation: US say "wyd-SPRED" /ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd/; UK

## Adjective

1. Affecting or found throughout a large area, such as an entire region or body; broad in extent and widely distributed.
   - Simple: Found across a large area, or affecting many people or places.
   - _The disease became widespread before health officials could respond._
   - _Reports of widespread fraud prompted a national investigation._

## Adjective

2. Spread out so that the separate parts are positioned far apart from one another. *(rare)*
   - Simple: Stretched out wide, with the parts far apart from each other.

## Origin

Formed from the words 'wide' and 'spread'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/widespread (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).