MERS

See also: mers and Mers

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /mɝz/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /mɜːz/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)z

Noun

MERS (uncountable)

1. (medicine) Acronym of Middle East respiratory syndrome; also Mers.
2. (loosely) Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus
   • 2015 June 4, Donald G. McNeil Jr., “What You Need to Know About MERS”, in The New York Times:

     Because MERS is a virus, antibiotics are ineffective.

   • 2015 July 2, “Mers: The new coronavirus explained”, in BBC News:

     Mers is a virus that is transmitted from animals to humans.

   • 2017, Randal W. Summers, “Application: Epidemics and the Epidemic Fear They Bring”, in Randal W. Summers, editor, Social Psychology: How Other People Influence Our Thoughts and Actions, page 470:

     MERS is a coronavirus for which there is no cure.

Usage notes

Although the term MERS is occasionally used to refer to the virus rather than the syndrome, this is generally considered an error, and is usually the result of using the term loosely.

Synonyms

• (coronavirus): MERS-CoV

Derived terms

• MERS-CoV (acronym)

See also

• SARS, genetically similar
• COVID-19, genetically similar

Anagrams

• MREs, MRSE, MSER, MSer, REMS, REMs, Rems, SERM, rems