Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The new words from the coronavirus pandemic

Susan MacLellan-Tobert, MD
Conditions
May 28, 2020
Share
Tweet
Share

With any new illness comes metaphor. It is humanity’s attempt to incorporate the mystery of disease into our own stories. We like to personify illness, give it human characteristics as a way of visualizing it. We name its actions to help lessen its unpredictability. Tuberculosis consumed. Syphilis punished. AIDS invaded. Cancer grows. COVID-19 quarantines separate and spread fear.

How long does it take for a disease or illness to become a metaphor in our language? Watching the pandemic unfold, I would say it takes about 3 to 4 months. The creative genius might be almost immediate, and then the viral spread of these new terms takes a bit longer to be incorporated into the flow of social media. When you look at current headlines, you see COVID and Coronavirus being used as adjectives and verbs and morphed into new words. I wonder if this is society’s way of trying to master the illness?

It is fascinating that Merriam-Webster added 535 new words to their online dictionary in April with this explanation, “A new word is entered in our dictionary when evidence shows it in frequent use by many writers. Usually, this process takes at least a few years, but there are extraordinary cases when a new term enters the language and immediately becomes part of our collective daily vocabulary. Such is the case with the language of the current pandemic.”

Here are just a few of the more entertaining words that are part of this pandemic newspeak:

Covidian (noun) is a new term listed in Urban Dictionary: An individual who wears a mask and surgical gloves in their car, follows the direction of the arrows on the supermarket floor, reports, and or calls out others who are not properly socially distancing.

A coronator (noun) is someone who has recovered from coronavirus infection.

Coronials (noun) will be the next generation of children who were conceived during the pandemic.

A covidiot (noun) is used to describe an individual who makes a poor choice in behaviors that places them and others at risk of catching COVID-19.

Cornteen (noun, verb): A play on the word quarantine or a teenager who is having a hard time social isolating during the pandemic.

Coronate (verb) is a word used in a situation where someone sneezes continuously in the public.

Coronacation (noun) is what happens when events, vacations, and work shifts are canceled or when parents are required to work from home and teach their children.

Coronageddon (noun) is a term used to describe the pandemic devastation of the world economy along with other aspects of society.

Covidian worry (adjective): The type of worry and depression that rapidly and virally spreads during times of uncertainty, such as during a pandemic.

ADVERTISEMENT

Covidian selection (adjective) is the “Darwinian process in which we do more remote work and spend less time kissing colleagues. More fundamentally, it tells us to anticipate a world where we are less complacent about infectious diseases; the science is taken more seriously, our institutions are better resourced and, who knows, the life sciences industry is more valued.” (Brian D. Smith)

In pondering these new terms, I wonder if we are on the brink of a new type of human being, Homo coronicus? The binomial name Homo sapiens was coined by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. In Latin, Homo means human being and sapien means discerning, wise, and sensible. Does that still describe us today? Are we better described as fearful, self-interested, and uncertain? Or perhaps compassionate, self-sacrificing, and adaptable? During this pandemic, each of us has observed a wide range of behaviors and experienced numerous emotions. All of which come with being human. Over the past several weeks, I, myself, have been frightened, brave, angry, upbeat, worried, level-headed, sad, irritable, and tolerant, to name a few. I like to think of Homo coronicus as the “crowning” achievement of humanity. Now more than ever, we have proven our resilience, adaptability, creativity, and resourcefulness. Have we done it perfectly? No. Is there room for improvement? Yes. Might we still be fearful and worried at times? Absolutely. But, I know one thing that happens eventually, as illnesses recede their metaphors become obsolete. I implore each of you as members of Homo coronicus, to watch for receding metaphors for that is when COVID-19 will have been conquered.

Susan MacLellan-Tobert is a pediatric cardiologist and can be reached at Health Edge Coaching.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Mobilizing medicine: a breathtaking solution to asthma disparities

May 28, 2020 Kevin 0
…
Next

A gut punch against COVID-19?

May 28, 2020 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: COVID, Infectious Disease

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Mobilizing medicine: a breathtaking solution to asthma disparities
Next Post >
A gut punch against COVID-19?

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Susan MacLellan-Tobert, MD

  • Healing from the pandemic: a journey to recovery

    Susan MacLellan-Tobert, MD
  • The transformation of doctors into “Dr. Widgets”

    Susan MacLellan-Tobert, MD
  • How clinicians can respond to the “big ask”

    Susan MacLellan-Tobert, MD

Related Posts

  • How the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for social media training in medical education 

    Oscar Chen, Sera Choi, and Clara Seong
  • The power of poetry during a pandemic

    Anna Delamerced
  • An outdated law is limiting our coronavirus response

    Leah Hampson Yoke, PA-C
  • Approach the gun violence epidemic like we do with coronavirus

    Charles Nozicka, DO
  • Coronavirus and my doctor daughter

    Carol Ewig
  • Why this physician marched during a pandemic

    Raj Sundar, MD

More in Conditions

  • What if medicine had an exit interview?

    Lynn McComas, DNP, ANP-C
  • Finding healing in narrative medicine: When words replace silence

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • Why coaching is not a substitute for psychotherapy

    Maire Daugharty, MD
  • Why doctors stay silent about preventable harm

    Jenny Shields, PhD
  • Why gambling addiction is America’s next health crisis

    Safina Adatia, MD
  • How robotics are reshaping the future of vascular procedures

    David Fischel
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

      Jordan Williamson, MEd | Education
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

      Jordan Williamson, MEd | Education
    • Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A day in the life of a WHO public health professional in Meghalaya, India

      Dr. Poulami Mazumder | Physician
    • Why women doctors are still mistaken for nurses

      Emma Fenske, DO | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

      Jordan Williamson, MEd | Education
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

      Jordan Williamson, MEd | Education
    • Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A day in the life of a WHO public health professional in Meghalaya, India

      Dr. Poulami Mazumder | Physician
    • Why women doctors are still mistaken for nurses

      Emma Fenske, DO | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...