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

Putin has not participated in a G20 summit since 2019, first because of the coronavirus pandemic and then due to the war.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Over the autumn and winter, about 30% of coronavirus samples analyzed in three European countries — Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark — were the Cicada subvariant, according to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Peaty was beaten to a third successive gold in Paris by Italy's Nicolo Martinenghi, having contracted coronavirus in the days before the final.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

The unemployment rate shot up to a post-World War II peak of 10.8% in 1982, a height only exceeded, briefly, after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic six years ago.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

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 • Mar. 20, 2026