common cold

noun

1. cold ( def 21 ).

common cold

noun

1. a mild viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, characterized by sneezing, coughing, watery eyes, nasal congestion, sore throat, etc

common cold

/ kŏm′ən /

1. A respiratory infection caused by any of several viruses, such as adenovirus or rhinovirus, in which the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and throat become inflamed. Common-cold symptoms include fever, nasal discharge, sneezing, and coughing.

Word History and Origins

Origin of common cold¹

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

Covid-19 could be rendered no more dangerous than the common cold at best and influenza at worst.

From Washington Post

The good news is we already know how to live with viruses, like seasonal influenza and the coronaviruses that cause the common cold.

From Time

A study out this week in the journal Science, suggests that over the next few years, the novel coronavirus could morph into a seasonal disease, similar to the common cold or, at worst, the yearly influenza bug.

From Popular-Science

Scientists there engineered the spike-protein gene into an adenovirus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees, but is relatively harmless in humans.

From Time

Indeed, that might not be unreasonable thinking if we were talking about the common cold, but this virus has shown itself to be a tricky character, and we are not yet able to predict who gets a serious case and who a mild one.

From Nautilus

The vaccine is delivered through a “carrier virus” that causes a common cold in chimpanzees but does not affect humans.

From The Daily Beast

It starts with symptoms that look a lot like a common cold, which then turn into weeks of uncontrollable coughing.

From The Daily Beast

Medieval Europeans used it to treat the common cold and cough.

From The Daily Beast

Simply because, like you, they recognize in this safe antiseptic a swift, effective enemy of sore throat and the common cold.

From Project Gutenberg

So far, none of the contagious infections except polio and the common cold had made the jump.

From Project Gutenberg

They tell me,” rejoined his Lordship, “that it is only a common cold, which you know I have had a thousand times.

From Project Gutenberg

We've won the greatest medical triumph of all times—the conquering of the Common Cold.

From Project Gutenberg

It's designed to show the men of the future how to do everything from treating a common cold to exploding nuclear power.

From Project Gutenberg