common cold

American  

noun

common colds plural

1. cold.

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common cold British  

noun

1. a mild viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, characterized by sneezing, coughing, watery eyes, nasal congestion, sore throat, etc

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common cold Scientific  

/ kŏm′ən /

1. A respiratory infection caused by any of several viruses, such as adenovirus or rhinovirus, in which the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and throat become inflamed. Common-cold symptoms include fever, nasal discharge, sneezing, and coughing.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• common colds
  plural

Etymology

Origin of common cold

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

Endemicity is when an infection is constantly present, like the common cold.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026

“They think, ‘I’m the only schmuck that feels this bad,’ and never get the corrective feedback that depression is like the common cold of mental illness.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Growing seasonal concern about overlapping respiratory illnesses such as the common cold and influenza has increased interest in ways to support immune health.

From Science Daily • Dec. 17, 2025

University students are particularly at risk because they mix with lots of new people, and the bacteria that cause meningitis are spread in similar ways to the common cold through sneezing and coughing.

From BBC • Dec. 1, 2025

IT WAS IN late November that year that a common cold made a big difference.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom