SARS

American  

[sahrz] / sɑrz /

noun

Pathology.

1. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: an acute respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus, characterized by fever, coughing, breathing difficulty, and usually pneumonia.

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SARS ¹ British  

/ sɑːz /

acronym

1. severe acute respiratory syndrome; a severe viral infection of the lungs characterized by high fever, a dry cough, and breathing difficulties. It is contagious, having an airborne mode of transmission

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SARS ² British  

abbreviation

1. South African Revenue Service

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Etymology

Origin of SARS

First recorded in 2005–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

SARS

The trial showed that the vaccine stimulated immune responses not only against SARS-CoV-2 and SARS, but also against related bat viruses that have not yet infected humans.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026

She covered the beverage industry, then SARS, flu, Ebola and other epidemics and chronic diseases as a public health reporter in the Atlanta bureau.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

It could have played out differently, as shown by the outbreak of SARS, a genetic relative of COVID-19, nearly 20 years ago.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 21, 2024

Bats have been linked to a “greatest hits” list of infectious diseases—not just COVID-19, but SARS, Marburg, and even ebola.

From Slate ● May 22, 2023

In early 2003, the government temporarily banned all wild animal sales after the outbreak of SARS, which studies indicate moved from bats to humans via palm civets, a mainstay of the meat trade.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 28, 2023