long COVID

American

[lawng koh-vid, long] / ˈlɔŋ ˈkoʊ vɪd, ˈlɒŋ /

Or long Covid

noun

Pathology.

a condition characterized by symptoms or health problems that linger or first appear after supposed recovery from an acute phase of COVID-19 infection.

Symptoms of long COVID can vary widely and include cough, low-grade fever, fatigue, chest pain, shortness of breath, headaches, and gastrointestinal upset.

Etymology

Origin of long COVID

Coined by British archaeologist Elisa Perego in 2020

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.

County residents living with the complex, chronic condition known as long COVID, the emergency has never ended.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2026

Women, people of Hispanic origin, people with severe initial infections and people who have not been vaccinated against the virus appear more likely than other groups to develop long COVID.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2026

The researchers say their results highlight the importance of culturally sensitive screening tools and diagnostic approaches for long COVID.

From Science Daily • Jan. 28, 2026

No causal relationship has been confirmed between any co-infection and long COVID.

From Science Daily • Dec. 14, 2025

Millions of people worldwide continue to experience lingering symptoms after COVID-19, a condition known as long COVID.

From Science Daily • Dec. 11, 2025

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