coronavirus

American  

[kuh-roh-nuh-vahy-ruhs] / kəˈroʊ nəˌvaɪ rəs /

noun

plural

coronaviruses

1. any of various RNA-containing spherical viruses of the family Coronaviridae, including several that cause acute respiratory illnesses.

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coronavirus British  

/ kəˈrəʊnəˌvaɪrəs /

noun

1. a type of airborne virus accounting for 10-30% of all colds

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Etymology

Origin of coronavirus

First recorded in 1965–70; so called from the coronalike array of spikes projecting from the capsid

Compare meaning

How does coronavirus compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• bubonic plague vs. coronavirus

Example Sentences

With the Cuban economy in freefall since the coronavirus pandemic, no gas has been delivered to Brenei's flimsy home in a Havana suburb for months.

From BBC

Their momentum was checked when they were banned from 2015 World Cup qualifying for failed doping tests and they did not play any games from 2019 to 2023 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

From Barron's

Most efforts to create broader vaccines have aimed to protect against an entire viral family, such as all coronaviruses or all influenza strains, by targeting viral components that mutate less frequently.

From Science Daily

Jennifer previously held positions on the Journal’s U.S. news team, where she reported daily on the coronavirus pandemic and served as a K-12 education reporter.

From The Wall Street Journal

An ex-politician accused of running a bogus coronavirus testing firm has told a court he "never said we were absolutely bob-on" in its operation.

From BBC