RSV
1 of 2abbreviation or noun
plural RSVs
: respiratory syncytial virus
Like many viruses, RSV is spread through contact with an infected person or contaminated objects.—
Nancy Snyderman
Nancy SnydermanRSV, a common respiratory illness that can cause severe breathing problems for babies, has been spreading around the region and the country, and doctors are cautioning about the risks to young children.—Josette Keelor
Josette KeelorRSVs typically emerge in late fall and remain until early spring. However, signs of RSV outbreak began in the middle of April before exponentially increasing by early May.—Winston Henvey
Winston HenveyExamples of RSV in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Weekly updates from the more specific FluView have stopped, as have summary reports from RESP-NET that tracks hospitalizations for Covid-19, flu and RSV from a network of hospitals across the country.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Health officials recommend seasonal vaccines for flu, COVID-19 and RSV as respiratory virus activity increases.
—Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Additionally, pregnant women are recommended to receive a maternal RSV during 32 through 36 weeks of pregnancy to protect against RSV and pass on antibodies to their baby, which can protect for up to six months after birth.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2025
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Abbreviation or noun
The season when flu (influenza), RSV, COVID-19 and other common respiratory illnesses spread further has arrived with the cooler weather.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Weekly updates from the more specific FluView have stopped, as have summary reports from RESP-NET that tracks hospitalizations for Covid-19, flu and RSV from a network of hospitals across the country.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Health officials recommend seasonal vaccines for flu, COVID-19 and RSV as respiratory virus activity increases.
—Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Additionally, pregnant women are recommended to receive a maternal RSV during 32 through 36 weeks of pregnancy to protect against RSV and pass on antibodies to their baby, which can protect for up to six months after birth.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for RSV
Cite this Entry
“RSV.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/RSV. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
RSV
1 of 2 abbreviation or noun
: respiratory syncytial virus
Long considered primarily a pathogen of young children, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been recognized as a cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in adults.—Harvey B. Simon, Science & Medicine
Harvey B. Simon, Science & MedicineHowever, upper respiratory tract infections caused by RSV tend to last longer than those caused by other common respiratory agents …—Caroline Breese, The New England Journal of Medicine
Caroline Breese, The New England Journal of MedicineRSV
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