coronavirus: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very HighNeutral to Formal in scientific/medical contexts; widely used across all registers in general discourse due to the pandemic.
Quick answer
What does “coronavirus” mean?
A large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), characterized by crown-like spikes on their surface.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), characterized by crown-like spikes on their surface.
Refers specifically to the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, or broadly to any virus within the Coronaviridae family affecting humans or animals. In common parlance, it has become synonymous with the global pandemic and its associated societal impacts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal lexical differences; both use 'coronavirus'. Spelling differences align with general UK/US conventions (e.g., 'centres' vs. 'centers' in related text).
Connotations
Identical strong association with the 2019–present pandemic. The term carries heavy societal, political, and health-related connotations globally.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both varieties since 2020, with a slight tapering as 'COVID-19' became the more precise term for the disease.
Grammar
How to Use “coronavirus” in a Sentence
[The] coronavirus spreads [through droplets][The] coronavirus causes [respiratory illness]To test positive for coronavirusTo be infected with coronavirusVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “coronavirus” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The new variant is thought to coronavirus the population differently.
- (Note: highly non-standard/neologistic use)
American English
- The media tends to coronavirus every health story nowadays.
- (Note: highly non-standard/neologistic use)
adjective
British English
- Coronavirus regulations changed our travel plans.
- The coronavirus briefing is at 5 pm.
American English
- Coronavirus restrictions are lifting in most states.
- We attended a coronavirus webinar.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"Supply chains were severely disrupted during the coronavirus pandemic."
Academic
"The coronavirus genome is composed of single-stranded positive-sense RNA."
Everyday
"I think I had coronavirus last winter; it was a really nasty cough."
Technical
"The spike protein of the coronavirus binds to the ACE2 receptor."
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “coronavirus”
- Using 'coronavirus' and 'COVID-19' interchangeably (COVID-19 is the disease *caused by* the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2). Incorrect pluralization: 'coronaviruses' is correct for multiple types, but 'the coronavirus' is often treated as uncountable for the specific pandemic virus.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Coronavirus is the type of virus (specifically SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 is the name of the disease it causes (Coronavirus Disease 2019).
No. It is typically lowercase ('coronavirus') when referring to the family of viruses or the general concept. It is capitalized as part of a proper name (e.g., 'Novel Coronavirus').
Yes. Coronaviruses are common in many animal species. Some, like SARS-CoV-2, can jump from animals to humans (zoonotic transmission).
It is named for the crown-like (corona) appearance of the spike proteins that surround the virus particle, visible under an electron microscope.
A large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), characterized by crown-like spikes on their surface.
Coronavirus is usually neutral to formal in scientific/medical contexts; widely used across all registers in general discourse due to the pandemic. in register.
Coronavirus: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈrəʊnəˌvaɪrəs/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈroʊnəˌvaɪrəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The new coronavirus normal”
- “Pre/post coronavirus”
- “Coronavirus fatigue”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
CORONA (like the crown of the sun) + VIRUS. Imagine a virus wearing a spiky crown.
Conceptual Metaphor
The virus is an INVADER/ENEMY (fight, battle, war on coronavirus). The pandemic is a STORM/WAVE (first wave, weathering the pandemic).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most precise term for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus?