RSV
1 of 2abbreviation or noun
plural RSVs
: respiratory syncytial virus
Like many viruses, RSV is spread through contact with an infected person or contaminated objects.—
Nancy Snyderman
Nancy SnydermanRSV, 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
Josette KeelorRSVs 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
Winston HenveyExamples of RSV in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
With an injection of the Pfizer vaccine Abrysvo at 32 to 36 weeks of gestation, a pregnant person develops antibodies against RSV that are conferred to the fetus through the placenta, giving babies crucial protection that lasts for the first six to nine months of life.
—Mark Kreidler, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2025
The agenda has since been posted online and lists respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as one of the issues up for discussion.
—Dominique Mosbergen, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
Later this month, they're set to consider recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines as well as more routine vaccines, including the respiratory virus RSV and measles.
—Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 4 Sep. 2025
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Abbreviation or noun
If the mother did not receive the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine during pregnancy, infants may also receive nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody for RSV protection.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
With an injection of the Pfizer vaccine Abrysvo at 32 to 36 weeks of gestation, a pregnant person develops antibodies against RSV that are conferred to the fetus through the placenta, giving babies crucial protection that lasts for the first six to nine months of life.
—Mark Kreidler, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2025
The agenda has since been posted online and lists respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as one of the issues up for discussion.
—Dominique Mosbergen, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
Later this month, they're set to consider recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines as well as more routine vaccines, including the respiratory virus RSV and measles.
—Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for RSV
Cite this Entry
“RSV.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/RSV. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical 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
Harvey B. Simon, Science & MedicineHowever, 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
Caroline Breese, The New England Journal of MedicineRSV
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