COVID-19

American  

[koh-vid-nahyn-teen] / ˈkoʊ vɪd naɪnˌtin /

Also Covid-19;

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.

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Spelling

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.

Usage

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

Etymology

Origin of COVID-19

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 the most striking memories for many of us from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic is the Diamond Princess.

From Slate • May 16, 2026

They found that the average cruise ship passenger had a total of 20 unique close contacts a day, despite measures on the ship in question to try to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases aboard.

From Slate • May 16, 2026

Last used during the COVID-19 pandemic, invoking the act would make the chemicals necessary for fertilizer a national defense priority.

From Salon • May 15, 2026

The agency temporarily suspended this rule in 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, then lifted it entirely in 2023.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

This is Kobliner’s first overhaul of “Get a Financial Life” since the COVID-19 pandemic, and things have changed tremendously just in the last few years.

From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026