swine flu

noun

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of swine flu

: swine influenza; also : influenza A of humans that is caused by a different strain of an orthomyxovirus subtype (H1N1) from those found in swine and that is marked especially by fever, sore throat, cough, chills, body aches, fatigue, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting

Recent Examples of swine flu from the Web

The big event and a major point of conflict in the series is a swine flu pandemic that decimated the alternate (Prime) Earth in 1996, killing half a billion people.

— ron gilmer, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Counterpart' Declassified: Everything to Know Before the Season 1 Finale," 31 Mar. 2018
Jernigan said, referring to the 2009 swine flu outbreak.

— sarah gray, Fortune, "CDC Predicts "Many More Weeks to Come" in 2018 Flu Season," 26 Jan. 2018
His rationale is revenge, alleging that our side unleashed a swine flu pandemic that decimated their Earth, killing over half a billion people.

— ron gilmer, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Counterpart' Season Finale: 3 Theories That Could Change the Game of the Starz Drama," 23 Mar. 2018
The hospitalization rates at the season’s peak were the highest the state had seen since the 2009 swine flu pandemic.

— nicholas rondinone, courant.com, "DPH: Peak Flu Season Has Passed," 15 Mar. 2018
That peak level of intensity was the highest seen since the swine flu pandemic of 2009.

— kim painter, USA TODAY, "Harsh flu season has finally passed its peak but remains deadly," 9 Mar. 2018
Tamiflu, which generated more than $3 billion in sales when swine flu sparked a global contagion in 2009, reduces the duration of illness by only up to a day if it’s taken within the first 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.

— jason gale, The Seattle Times, "Flu relief is coming as successors to aging Tamiflu near market," 11 Feb. 2018
The intense 2009 swine flu pandemic, which sent demand for vaccines soaring, was followed by several mild flu years.

— donald g. mcneil jr., New York Times, "This Flu Season Is the Worst in Nearly a Decade," 26 Jan. 2018
And many of those investments paid off in helping to manage swine flu, avian flu, Middle East respiratory syndrome, Ebola, and Zika.

— alex kingsbury, BostonGlobe.com, "Why we haven’t gotten over the Spanish flu," 26 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'swine flu.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of swine flu

1921

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Medical Dictionary

swine flu

noun

medical Definition of swine flu

: swine influenza; also : influenza of humans that is caused by a subtype (H1N1) of an orthomyxovirus (species Influenza A virus of the genus Influenzavirus A) originating in swine and is marked especially by fever, sore throat, cough, chills, body aches, fatigue, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting

Among the swine flu cases in the United States, none had had any contact with pigs …
—Marc Lacey and Donald G. McNeil Jr., The New York Times, 25 Apr. 2009

As swine flu spreads from person to person around the world, it is most often being transmitted by coughing or sneezing …
—Laura Landro, The Wall Street Journal, 29 Sept. 2009