RSV

1 of 2

abbreviation or noun

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

Examples of RSV in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Abbreviation or noun
Some seemed not to take seriously the risk that infections like RSV and the flu can pose to even healthy children. Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 5 July 2025 But the difference is RSV’s affinity for the chest. Anna Halkidis, Parents, 4 July 2025 The vaccine committee voted 5-2 to recommend Merck’s new prophylactic antibody for infants with RSV. Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025 The area is also seeing decreasing cases of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for RSV

Word History

First Known Use

Abbreviation Or Noun

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of RSV was in 1961

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“RSV.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/RSV. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Medical Definition

RSV

1 of 2 abbreviation or noun
: 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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