COVID-19

Also Co·vid-19;

[koh-vid-nahyn-teen]

noun

Pathology.

1. coronavirus disease 2019: a potentially severe, primarily respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus and characterized by fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. In some people, the disease also damages major organs, as the heart or kidneys.

Spelling Note

COVID-19 (all capital letters) is the spelling used internationally by scientific and medical professionals and their related organizations, which corresponds with the American convention of capitalizing an acronym such as AIDS or SARS. However, Covid-19 (spelled like a proper noun with an initial capital letter followed by lowercase letters) is the less obtrusive form used by several prominent media, such as The New York Times and The Times of London. And it is not uncommon to see both forms shortened to just COVID or Covid, respectively. The lowercase form covid is considerably less common in edited text.

Word History and Origins

Origin of COVID-19¹

Short for co(rona)vi(rus) d(isease) (20)19, the year in which the outbreak of the disease was first identified; so named by the World Health Organization in 2020

Example Sentences

One of his designs, a colourful patchwork crochet cardigan worn by singer Harry Styles, which inspired a viral TikTok trend amongst fans during the Covid-19 pandemic, was added to London's Victoria and Albert Museum fashion collection earlier this year.

From BBC

It ended with Bell bored and alone in quarantine, when the rest of the squad had gone home, having contracted Covid-19.

From BBC

The years since COVID-19 have demonstrated how tangled regulation of the industry can get in L.A., observers say, so investors are taking their money to other cities.

From Los Angeles Times

And as Hollywood has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, strikes, recessions and periods of contraction — some reports estimate Hollywood jobs were down 25% in 2024 from their 2022 peak — many of them have had to take their own advice.

From Los Angeles Times

Then the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the state — and by extension, the court system.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What is COVID-19? 

COVID-19 is a highly infectious respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus. The disease was discovered in China in December 2019 and then spread around the world, causing an unprecedented public health crisis.For health, safety, and medical emergencies or updates on the novel coronavirus pandemic, please visit the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and WHO (World Health Organization).What are some variants of COVID-19?

• Covid-19



• covid-19



• COVID



• covid