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

Many current vaccines, including seasonal flu shots and updated COVID-19 vaccines, are designed around virus strains already circulating in people.

From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026

The ministry said Rivera's "physical and neurological deterioration" was "a consequence of a bacterial infection caused by the COVID-19 virus."

From Barron's • May 31, 2026

On average, Ebola is about 50% fatal, which is far more deadly than flu or COVID-19.

From Salon • May 30, 2026

Both the U.S. and global benchmarks are now on pace for their biggest monthly swoon since the start of the onset of the COVID-19 crisis more than six years ago.

From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026

Her attorney, Stephen Prekoski, told the court that O’Connor’s actions were the result of her attempts to improve her teen son’s social life during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026