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

It was released in December 2021, around the time the omicron variant was spiking. —Vogue, 14 Mar. 2025

First, the burst of the Covid omicron variant prompted the central bank to offer a less-harsh message to the markets. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2025

The party has never been postponed or canceled, except for 2022, when the Grammys were held in Las Vegas due to the omicron variant. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 31 Jan. 2025

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

Word History

First Known Use

2021, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for omicron variant

• aperient
• covariant
• invariant

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