coronavirus
|co-ro-na-vi-rus|
🇺🇸
/ˌkɔːrəˈnaɪrəs/
🇬🇧
/ˌkɒrəˈnaɪrəs/
crown-shaped virus
Etymology
'coronavirus' originates from Modern Latin/Neo-Latin, formed from 'corona' (Latin 'corōna', meaning 'crown, garland') + 'virus' (Latin 'virus', originally 'poison' or 'slimy liquid'), named for the crown-like spike proteins visible under an electron microscope.
'corona' comes from Latin 'corōna' meaning 'crown'; 'virus' comes from Latin 'virus'. The term 'coronavirus' was coined in the 1960s in virology when researchers named the group after the crown-like appearance of the viruses under electron microscopy.
Initially, the components referred to 'crown' and 'poison/liquid'; combined in the 20th century to name a family of viruses with crown-like spikes. Over time the term has come to denote both the viral family and, in everyday speech, specific viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and the infections they cause.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
any virus of the family Coronaviridae: single-stranded RNA viruses characterized by crown-like (corona) spike proteins on their surface.
Scientists study coronaviruses to understand how they jump between species.
Synonyms
Noun 2
in common usage, often refers specifically to SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the 2020 pandemic, people often referred to SARS-CoV-2 simply as the coronavirus.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/03 08:45