coronavirus

American  

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

noun

coronaviruses plural

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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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• coronaviruses
  plural

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

The rules were suspended during the coronavirus pandemic, and then again during the energy crisis that followed Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine -- both of which piled massive pressure on European nations' finances.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

Sentiment was worse in May than any point during the 2020-21 coronavirus pandemic.

From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026

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

From Slate • May 16, 2026

Built to house medical students and NHS key workers, the site at Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral was last used as an isolation facility at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

From BBC • May 11, 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