super-spreader
noun
su·per-spread·er
ˌsü-pər-ˈspre-dər 
variants
or superspreader
plural super-spreaders or superspreaders
1
: an individual who is highly contagious and capable of transmitting a communicable disease to an unusually large number of uninfected individuals
Health authorities are watching uneasily for an event that could reverse their apparent success in containing the U.S. outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome: the arrival of a so-called super-spreader.—
M. A. J. McKenna
M. A. J. McKennaThe story of a traveling British businessman who appears to have passed the coronavirus to Britons in at least three countries has prompted concerns over a 'superspreader,' who could play an outsize role in transmitting the infection.—Karla Adam
Karla Adam2
: an event or location at which a significant number of people contract the same communicable disease
—often used before another noun
So far, super-spreader events have occurred in a range of places including meat packing plants, prisons, nightclubs and bars—basically any venue where people are in close proximity of one another, ventilation is poor and the virus gets the opportunity to spread like wildfire.—Natasha Hinde
Natasha HindeThe influx of students had quickly turned Minot State University into a superspreader site: within two weeks, more than ten per cent of the coronavirus tests that students received were coming back positive.—Atul Gawande
Atul GawandeExamples of super-spreader in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The lead-up had focused on whether a debate was even safe with the pandemic still in full swing — and some Biden supporters begged him to stay as far away as possible from the resident of that super-spreader White House.
—Shelby Grad, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2024
Related article Dengue cases top 5.2 million in the Americas as outbreak passes yearly record, PAHO says
The concept of the super-spreader in infection epidemiology is not new.
—Mark Booth, CNN, 14 June 2024
In the end, the event turned out to be not only a money-suck but also a Covid super-spreader.
—Paresh Dave, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024
Will the gathering of G20 heads of state serve as a super-spreader event?
—Byerin Prater, Fortune Well, 9 Sep. 2023
With the rise of long-distance travel, a pathogen can now transit the globe in hours, and the growth of mass gatherings—from the Olympics to Oktoberfest in Germany to the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia—increases the odds of super-spreader events that can infect large numbers of people at one time.
—Larry Brilliant, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2022
In a world where information super-spreaders and trading systems rob traders of their competitive alpha (in short, the benefit of being fast to trade using quantitative tools), the transparency of public blockchains represents an additional problem to those looking for an advantage.
—Oliver Gale, Forbes, 19 Apr. 2023
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Shelby Grad, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2024
Related article Dengue cases top 5.2 million in the Americas as outbreak passes yearly record, PAHO says
The concept of the super-spreader in infection epidemiology is not new.
—Mark Booth, CNN, 14 June 2024
In the end, the event turned out to be not only a money-suck but also a Covid super-spreader.
—Paresh Dave, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024
Will the gathering of G20 heads of state serve as a super-spreader event?
—Byerin Prater, Fortune Well, 9 Sep. 2023
With the rise of long-distance travel, a pathogen can now transit the globe in hours, and the growth of mass gatherings—from the Olympics to Oktoberfest in Germany to the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia—increases the odds of super-spreader events that can infect large numbers of people at one time.
—Larry Brilliant, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2022
In a world where information super-spreaders and trading systems rob traders of their competitive alpha (in short, the benefit of being fast to trade using quantitative tools), the transparency of public blockchains represents an additional problem to those looking for an advantage.
—Oliver Gale, Forbes, 19 Apr. 2023
Dictionary Entries Near super-spreader
Cite this Entry
“Super-spreader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/super-spreader. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
super-spreader
noun
su·per-spread·er
variants
or superspreader
1
: an individual who is highly contagious and capable of transmitting a communicable disease to an unusually large number of uninfected individuals
Unfortunately, the man was what is now known as a "super-spreader"—one of a small group of SARS patients who is highly infectious.—Elisabeth Rosenthal, The New York Times
Elisabeth Rosenthal, The New York TimesThere do seem to be superspreaders, a loosely defined term for people who infect a disproportionate number of others …—Gina Kolata, The Houston (Texas) Chronicle
Gina Kolata, The Houston (Texas) Chronicle2
: an event or location at which a significant number of people contract the same communicable disease
—often used before another noun
… they weren't aware that an after-hours club has been operating … for at least two months. They say it not only appears to be an illegal operation, but a potential coronavirus super-spreader site.—Dean Narciso, The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch
Dean Narciso, The Columbus (Ohio) DispatchLove words? Need even more definitions?
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