omicron variant

noun

variants or less commonly Omicron variant

: an extremely transmissible genetic variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

Although the omicron variant has now surpassed delta in the region, hospitals like St. Luke's are likely still treating people who have been infected by the delta variant.

—Kynala Phillips

Florida's rocketing number of COVID-19 cases likely will peak by mid-January as the highly contagious omicron variant potentially infects most of the state's population during this wave alone, according to disease modelers with the University of Florida's Emerging Pathogens Institute.

—Daniel Chang

Covid-19 infections in children have typically been mild so far in the pandemic, but the sheer magnitude of cases caused by the very contagious Omicron variant is sending children under age 18 to hospitals in record numbers, according to data from the CDC.

—The East Bay Times (California)

called also omicron

Examples of omicron variant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The participants had infections stemming from COVID-19 variants like the original strain from 2020, the delta variant and the omicron variant. —Joseph Choi, The Hill, 6 Jan. 2025

In 2021: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an estimate about the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – being 1.6 times more transmissible than delta, an earlier variant. —Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 20 Dec. 2024

The August events that year were canceled due to the spike of the omicron variant of COVID-19. —Austin American-Statesman, 17 Jan. 2024

That summer, the delta variant spread rapidly across the U.S., followed by the omicron variant in the winter. —Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun, 23 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

2021, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

omicron variant

noun

variants also Omicron variant

: an extremely transmissible genetic variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

The push for increased testing comes amid an increase of COVID-19 cases as the omicron variant takes hold.

—Congressional Quarterly Health

The recent onset of the new Omicron variant currently is under investigation to assess its relative infectiousness, severity, and responsiveness to current vaccines and therapeutics.

—Emergency Medicine Reports

called also omicron