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

Explanation

A coronavirus is a specific type of microbe that can cause an infectious disease. One particular coronavirus, first identified in 2019, caused a worldwide pandemic. If you look at a coronavirus under a microscope, you'll see its round, spiky, crownlike shape. That's where this virus gets its name; corona means "crown" in Latin. People talked about coronaviruses a lot in 2020 because of Covid-19 (an acronym for coronavirus disease of 2019). But these viruses have been around for generations, and they're usually not so deadly. In fact, coronaviruses are responsible for the common cold, as well as illnesses affecting birds and non-human mammals.

Example Sentences

At one point, the luxury ship accounted for a remarkable 50 percent of all confirmed coronavirus cases.

From Slate • May 16, 2026

With the park closed due to the coronavirus, rare snowy plovers began to nest there.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

The debt briefly exceeded 100% of GDP during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, which temporarily shrank GDP and prompted steep government borrowing to prop up American households.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Pyongyang closed its borders in January 2020 to stop the spread of the coronavirus, with research and media reports indicating that the diplomatically isolated nation spent subsequent years bolstering security along its frontiers.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

As injury and the postponement of races caused by the coronavirus pandemic left Sawe struggling to make a living through running, his uncle, Uganda's 800m record holder Abraham Chepkirwok, put him in touch.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026