coronavirus
noun
co·ro·na·vi·rus
kə-ˈrō-nə-ˌvī-rəs 
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
Rob Stein… in 2003 a previously unknown coronavirus caused an outbreak of SARS in humans.—Ali Moh Zaki et al.
—abbreviation CoV, CV
Ali Moh Zaki et al.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
Dayton (Ohio) Daily News Examples of coronavirus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Relief funds during the coronavirus pandemic helped people avoid eviction and educated those reluctant to get vaccinated.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
Still, the disruptions of the coronavirus pandemic, Russian’s invasion of Ukraine and a physical issue from Butler led to seven-year gap between the first and second installments.
—Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Jan. 2025
The offers come as the Trump administration pushes federal employees to return to the office five days per week, scrapping work-from-home allowances implemented during the coronavirus pandemic.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 28 Jan. 2025
In 2024 as a whole, LVMH posted revenues of 84.7 billion euros, down 1.7 percent year-on-year amid a challenging economic and geopolitical environment, and a high basis of comparison after several years of exceptional growth in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
—Joelle Diderich, WWD, 28 Jan. 2025
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Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
Still, the disruptions of the coronavirus pandemic, Russian’s invasion of Ukraine and a physical issue from Butler led to seven-year gap between the first and second installments.
—Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Jan. 2025
The offers come as the Trump administration pushes federal employees to return to the office five days per week, scrapping work-from-home allowances implemented during the coronavirus pandemic.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 28 Jan. 2025
In 2024 as a whole, LVMH posted revenues of 84.7 billion euros, down 1.7 percent year-on-year amid a challenging economic and geopolitical environment, and a high basis of comparison after several years of exceptional growth in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
—Joelle Diderich, WWD, 28 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for coronavirus
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Cite this Entry
“Coronavirus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coronavirus. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
coronavirus
noun
co·ro·na·vi·rus
kə-ˈrō-nə-ˌvī-rəs
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 blue comb, feline infectious peritonitis, COVID-19, MERS, and SARS
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, The Washington Post
—abbreviation CoV, CV
Rob Stein, The Washington Post2
: an illness caused by a coronavirus
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