common cold
noun
: an acute disease of the upper respiratory tract that is marked by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, eyes, and eustachian tubes and by a watery then purulent discharge and is caused by any of several viruses (such as a rhinovirus or an adenovirus)
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Like the common cold, EV-D68 can cause a runny nose, sneezing, body aches or muscle aches. 
Aria Bendix, NBC News, 13 Sep. 2022 Laboratories might also be able to screen samples for various respiratory viruses, including common cold viruses. Victoria Milko, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Jan. 2022 While 90% of them were asymptomatic, the other 10% attributed their symptoms to the common cold or other infections. Anuradha Varanasi, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 The university said Zeiss and her colleagues studied the way a coronavirus similar to one that causes the common cold in humans was transmitted through rat populations. Hartford Courant, 5 July 2022 Rhinovirus, cause of the common cold, rarely sends people to the hospital. Frances Stead Sellers, Anchorage Daily News, 13 June 2022 However, the coronavirus doesn’t yet fit into clear seasonal patterns like the other common cold viruses. New York Times, 11 June 2022 Maybe most future tussles with COVID will feel like nothing more than a shrimpy common cold. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 27 May 2022 One is adenovirus — a common family of viruses that cause symptoms ranging from the common cold to pinkeye. Lena H. Sun, Washington Post, 17 May 2022 See More
Aria Bendix, NBC News, 13 Sep. 2022 Laboratories might also be able to screen samples for various respiratory viruses, including common cold viruses. Victoria Milko, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Jan. 2022 While 90% of them were asymptomatic, the other 10% attributed their symptoms to the common cold or other infections. Anuradha Varanasi, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 The university said Zeiss and her colleagues studied the way a coronavirus similar to one that causes the common cold in humans was transmitted through rat populations. Hartford Courant, 5 July 2022 Rhinovirus, cause of the common cold, rarely sends people to the hospital. Frances Stead Sellers, Anchorage Daily News, 13 June 2022 However, the coronavirus doesn’t yet fit into clear seasonal patterns like the other common cold viruses. New York Times, 11 June 2022 Maybe most future tussles with COVID will feel like nothing more than a shrimpy common cold. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 27 May 2022 One is adenovirus — a common family of viruses that cause symptoms ranging from the common cold to pinkeye. Lena H. Sun, Washington Post, 17 May 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1713, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
common cold
noun
: a contagious illness which causes the lining of the nose and throat to be sore, swollen, and red and in which there is usually much mucus and coughing and sneezing
Medical Definition
common cold
noun
: an acute contagious disease of the upper respiratory tract that is marked by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, eyes, and eustachian tubes with a watery then purulent discharge and is caused by any of several viruses (as a rhinovirus or an adenovirus)