swine flu

noun

|Updated on: 1 Aug 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

This year's flu season started early and it's been the worst since the 2009-2010 pandemic caused by the swine flu, a new form of the virus.

— andy marso, kansascity, "The CDC says flu season has peaked nationally. But guess where it's still rising. | The Kansas City Star," 26 Feb. 2018
In the 2009 pandemic of H1N1 swine flu, that new strain killed 282 children and 358 children in total died from influenza that season.

— maggie fox /, NBC News, "Child flu deaths his record high for 2017-2018," 8 June 2018
Plus, the researchers also found evidence that the virus can spread from pigs to pups, which makes this whole situation similar to the developments that led to widespread swine flu in 2009.

— sarah klein, Health.com, "A New Study Says 'Dog Flu' Could Be the Next Swine Flu. How Worried Should You Really Be?," 7 June 2018
That ties the highest level seen in the U.S. during swine flu in 2009.

— mike stobbe and andy marso, kansascity, "Kansas CIty's flu season is getting worse; now as bad as 2009 swine flu | The Kansas City Star," 9 Feb. 2018
The researchers, however, discovered that the sickly pups in China harbored two types of H1N1 swine flu viruses.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "The Next Flu Pandemic Might Come from Dogs," 9 June 2018
All had been infected with swine flu three to six months before.

— The Economist, "Germ-free children may be more prone to leukaemia," 24 May 2018
Six years later, worried about the international movement of swine flu, Australia set up screening at all eight airports that receive international flights.

— maryn mckenna, WIRED, "The Political Theater of Controlling Ebola with Border Checks," 22 May 2018
The flu has further tightened its grip on the U.S. This season is now as bad as the swine flu epidemic nine years ago.

— mike stobbe and andy marso, kansascity, "Kansas CIty's flu season is getting worse; now as bad as 2009 swine flu | The Kansas City Star," 9 Feb. 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