Common or widespread in a particular place or time. It describes something that happens often or exists in many cases.
From Latin *praevalens* meaning 'very powerful' or 'prevailing', from *prae-* 'before' and *valere* 'to be strong'. The sense shifted from 'strongest' to 'most common'.
Something becomes prevalent not by being correct, but by being repeated. The word hides a warning: what’s everywhere begins to feel natural, even if it’s harmful. Trends, beliefs, and viruses all become 'prevalent' in the same mathematical way.
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