RSV

1 of 2

abbreviation or noun

ˌär-ˌes-ˈvē 

plural RSVs

: respiratory syncytial virus

Like many viruses, RSV is spread through contact with an infected person or contaminated objects.

—Nancy Snyderman

RSV, 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

RSVs 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

RSV

2 of 2

abbreviation

Revised Standard Version

Examples of RSV in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Abbreviation or noun

Some scientists think that may be one of the reasons there a decrease in infections with other respiratory viruses, such as flu and RSV, during the early, heavy COVID waves. —Rob Stein, NPR, 7 Feb. 2025

Other Viruses Flu, COVID and RSV aren’t the only nasty bugs that are circulating, of course. —Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2025

The company said the decline came after a significant decrease in U.S. vaccination rates among older adults due to current recommendations from advisors to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which narrowed the market opportunity for RSV shots. —Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2025

Here’s a breakdown of the most recent trends for the flu, COVID, and RSV. —Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Abbreviation Or Noun

1961, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

RSV

1 of 2 abbreviation or noun

ˌär-ˌes-ˈvē 

: 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

However, 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

RSV

2 of 2 abbreviation

Rous sarcoma virus