coronavirus

noun

co·​ro·​na·​vi·​rus kə-ˈrō-nə-ˌvī-rəs How to pronounce coronavirus (audio)
plural coronaviruses
1
: any of a family (Coronaviridae) of large single-stranded RNA viruses that have a lipid envelope studded with club-shaped spike proteins, infect birds and many mammals including humans, and include the causative agents of MERS, SARS, and COVID-19
Coronaviruses can cause a variety of illnesses in animals, but in people coronaviruses cause one-third of common colds and sometimes respiratory infections in premature infants.—Rob Stein
… in 2003 a previously unknown coronavirus caused an outbreak of SARS in humans.—Ali Moh Zaki et al.
—abbreviation CoV, CV
2
: an illness caused by a coronavirus
especially : covid-19
Italy has seen the most coronavirus cases in Europe, with more than 2,000 people ill and 76 deaths associated with COVID-19. —Dayton (Ohio) Daily News
—abbreviation CV

Examples of coronavirus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An office building with the Aon logo is seen amid the easing of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions in the Central Business District of Sydney, Australia, June 3, 2020. — Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 Parton, who died Tuesday at 80, was the consummate business executive behind Dollywood, the mastermind behind a book-gifting program, the philanthropic giant whose donation helped spur the Moderna vaccine for the coronavirus. — Ethan Beck, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026 The death penalty in the state has largely been tied up in litigation over an agreement related to the coronavirus pandemic that defense lawyers contend temporarily shields many death row residents from execution. — ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026 Dolly has long been a champion of advancements in the medical field, particularly amid donating $1 million to COVID vaccine research during the coronavirus pandemic, which many have cited as a key monetary driver in funding the Moderna vaccine. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for coronavirus

Word History

Etymology

corona + virus, later taken as New Latin

Note: The word was introduced by a group of virologists as a short article "Coronaviruses" in the "News and Views" section of Nature (vol. 220, no. 5168, November 16, 1968, p. 650): "… avian infectious bronchitis virus has a characteristic electron microscopic appearance resembling, but distinct from, that of myxoviruses. Particles are more or less rounded in profile … there is also a characteristic 'fringe' of projections 200 Å long, which are rounded or petal shaped, rather than sharp or pointed, as in the myxoviruses. This appearance, recalling the solar corona, is shared by mouse hepatitis virus … . In the opinion of the eight virologists these viruses are members of a previously unrecognized group which they suggest should be called the coronaviruses, to recall the characteristic appearance by which these viruses are identified in the electron microscope."

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coronavirus was in 1968

Phrases Containing coronavirus

Rhymes for coronavirus

See All Rhymes for coronavirus

Browse Nearby Words

coronation oath
coronavirus
coronavirus disease 2019
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coronavirus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coronavirus. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

coronavirus

noun
co·​ro·​na·​vi·​rus kə-ˈrō-nə-ˌvī-rəs How to pronounce coronavirus (audio)
1
: a virus that infects birds and many mammals including humans
2
: an illness caused by a coronavirus
especially : covid-19

Medical Definition

coronavirus

noun
co·​ro·​na·​vi·​rus kə-ˈrō-nə-ˌvī-rəs How to pronounce coronavirus (audio)
1
: any of a family (Coronaviridae) of large, single-stranded, RNA viruses that have a lipid envelope studded with club-shaped spike proteins , infect birds and many mammals including humans, and include the causative agents of feline infectious peritonitis, COVID-19, MERS, and SARS
Coronaviruses are a large, diverse group of viruses that affect many animal species. A few of these viruses cause a wide range of respiratory illness in humans, typically with "common cold" symptoms.—The Journal of the American Medical Association
—abbreviation CoV, CV
2
: an illness caused by a coronavirus
especially : covid-19
—abbreviation CV

More from Merriam-Webster on coronavirus

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about coronavirus

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