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

Cuba was already facing its worst economic and energy crisis since the end of the Cold War, because of a combination of a fall in tourism after the coronavirus pandemic and government economic mismanagement.

From BBC

She also spent eight years at Politico, where she reported investigations and long-form stories about the biggest events in recent history, including the 2016 and 2020 elections and the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal

Being diagnosed in 2020 at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Trish said it was a lonely cancer journey and it's only recently that she can talk about the trauma.

From BBC

In 2020, Justin joined the Washington bureau on temporary assignment to report on the U.S. economy’s struggles in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal

In 2020, it ordered the culling of all roughly 17 million farm-raised mink in Denmark to stop the spread of a coronavirus mutation, a directive it later admitted had no legal grounds.

From The Wall Street Journal