superspreading event

Or su·per-spread·ing e·vent

[soo-per-spred-ing i-vent]

noun

1. Pathology.,  an incidence of transmission of a highly active contagion to a larger number of people than average, often characterized by explosive growth of contracted illness early in an outbreak and sustained transmission thereafter.

   Our findings strongly suggest that a superspreading event occurred during the wedding, as a number of the guests have fallen ill and are testing positive for the virus.

2. a social event or other, usually large, gathering of people that results in, or is likely to result in, a significant spreading of a highly active contagion, as during a pandemic.

   I support the home team as much as I ever did, but I won’t be attending any superspreading events.

Word History and Origins

Origin of superspreading event¹

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

The researchers say this supports the idea of the market as the origin, rather than the pandemic starting elsewhere with the market adding fuel to the fire in a superspreading event.

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Memories are still fresh from March, when the carnival was derided as a superspreading event that turned the city into a coronavirus hot spot.

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A recent massive superspreading event, in which large numbers of people gathered and caught monkeypox at the same venue such as a festival and then took it home to different countries, could explain the current situation.

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In Oslo, a company Christmas party at a restaurant became a superspreading event, with at least 120 people testing positive; 19 cases so far have been confirmed as Omicron.

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A company’s Christmas party in Oslo, Norway, that became a superspreading event.

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