rotavirus
noun
ro·ta·vi·rus
ˈrō-tə-ˌvī-rəs 
plural rotaviruses
: any of a genus (Rotavirus) of reoviruses that have a three-layered protein capsid with no outer lipid envelope when mature and that include one (Rotavirus alphagastroenteritidis) causing epidemics of severe and sometimes fatal diarrhea in infants and young children
Examples of rotavirus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The academy schedule continues to recommend rotavirus vaccines for all infants, whereas the federal schedule says it should be left up to parents and doctors whether to give the shots to babies.
—
Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Here's where the groups differ: The CDC no longer routinely recommends kids get shots to protect against Covid, RSV, the flu, rotavirus, meningitis and hepatitis A and B.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 26 Jan. 2026
In November 2025, the first round of a vaccination catch-up campaign aimed at children under 3 successfully protected over 14,000 kids against measles, mumps and rubella, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, hepatitis B, tuberculosis, polio, rotavirus and pneumonia.
—Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
In early January, what filled the vacuum when federal authorities abruptly stopped broadly endorsing vaccines against rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B for kids who aren’t deemed high-risk?
—Eric Boodman, STAT, 20 Jan. 2026
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Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Here's where the groups differ: The CDC no longer routinely recommends kids get shots to protect against Covid, RSV, the flu, rotavirus, meningitis and hepatitis A and B.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 26 Jan. 2026
In November 2025, the first round of a vaccination catch-up campaign aimed at children under 3 successfully protected over 14,000 kids against measles, mumps and rubella, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, hepatitis B, tuberculosis, polio, rotavirus and pneumonia.
—Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
In early January, what filled the vacuum when federal authorities abruptly stopped broadly endorsing vaccines against rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B for kids who aren’t deemed high-risk?
—Eric Boodman, STAT, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rotavirus
Cite this Entry
“Rotavirus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rotavirus. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
rotavirus
noun
ro·ta·vi·rus
ˈrōt-ə-ˌvī-rəs
1
Rotavirus
: a genus of reoviruses that are causative agents of gastroenteritis and that include one (Rotavirus alphagastroenteritidis) causing epidemics of severe and sometimes fatal diarrhea in infants and young children
Note: Viruses of the genus Rotavirus have a virion with a three-layered protein capsid lacking an outer lipid envelope when mature and a core of 11 discrete segments of double-stranded RNA.
2
: any virus of the genus Rotavirus
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