Hendra

British

/ ˈhɛndrə /

noun

a virus that affects humans and horses, causing a fatal, influenza-like illness

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Hendra

C20: after the suburb of Brisbane, the location of the outbreak during which the virus was first isolated

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Bats are recognized as natural hosts for many zoonotic viruses, including rabies, Nipah, Hendra, Marburg, and SARS-CoV-1.

From Science Daily • Feb. 1, 2026

“I am more than happy to coexist with nature,” Hendra said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025

It wouldn’t be surprising, given that many viruses have been linked to bats, including the Ebola, Marburg, Nipah and Hendra viruses, as well as coronaviruses like SARS-1 and MERS.

From Salon • Jan. 30, 2025

“The volcanic earthquakes are still intense so there is a potential for a future eruption,” Hendra Gunawan, chief of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation said.

From Seattle Times • May 13, 2024

Of freight—so Will Hendra had it from one of Godolphin's own men, who were now searching the cliffs and caverns—not twelve-pennyworth remained on the beach.

From Old Fires and Profitable Ghosts by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023