ENGLISH
REFERENCE

systemic

adj.
US //sɪˈstɛmɪk// UK //sɪstˈɛmɪk// sys·temic
  1. 1 affecting a whole system (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Academic

    affecting an entire organization, society, or system rather than just one part.

    embedded within and spread throughout an entire system, group, or society. Often used to describe structural problems like bias or economic failure.

    Example

    The company needs to fix systemic problems that cause delays in every department.

    Example

    Economists warned that the failure of a major bank could lead to systemic risk across the global financial market.

    Usage

    Usually placed before the noun it modifies.
    Pitfall
    The computer had a systemic error.
    The computer had a systematic error.

    Use 'systemic' for something that affects the whole system; use 'systematic' for something done according to a fixed plan or method.

  2. 2 affecting the whole body (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    affecting your whole body through the blood, rather than just one spot.

    relating to the entire body or organism as a whole. In medicine, it describes treatments or diseases that travel through the bloodstream to reach all organs.

    Example

    The doctor prescribed a systemic medication to treat the infection throughout his body.

    Example

    While a cream treats the skin locally, a systemic antibiotic is necessary to eliminate the bacteria from the patient's bloodstream.

    Usage

    Often contrasted with 'topical' or 'local' in medical contexts.
Origin

From system + -ic. Doublet of systematic.

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