severe acute respiratory syndrome
1
5.3
- noun
- /səˈvɪr əˈkjut ˌrɛspəˈrɑtəri ˈsɪndroʊm/
- Specialized
:
síndrome respiratorio agudo severo
- In 2003, severe acute respiratory syndrome caused widespread panic as it spread rapidly across Asia and beyond.
- severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
Examples
-
In response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) pandemic of 2003 and the influenza pandemic of 2009, many countries instituted border measures as a means of stopping or slowing the spread of disease.
Academic text (2015) -
In the spring of 2003, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) arrived in Canada.
Academic text (2004) -
The closest the world has come to this scenario in modern times was the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) crisis of 2003.
Academic text (2005) -
Severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can cause severe illness and death.
Academic text (2006) -
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a serious form of pneumonia, is caused by a virus isolated in 2003.
Academic text (2012) -
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is caused by a virus; the main symptoms are pneumonia and fever.
Blog text (21) -
In the midst of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic sweeping parts of East Asia and Canada in 2003, Japan reaffirmed its support for Taiwan joining the WHO as an observer.
Academic text (2004) -
The hospital reported an increase in cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome, leading to urgent health measures.
-
Doctors noted that patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome often experience high fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Synonyms
69
3.7
A serious disease that causes fever, cough, trouble breathing, and can cause death
Surface Forms
Morphology
severe + acute + respiratory + syndrome
Each word contributes a clear piece of meaning — 'severe' (very serious), 'acute' (sudden and intense), 'respiratory' (related to breathing), and 'syndrome' (a set of symptoms) — so the phrase plainly denotes a serious, sudden set of breathing-related symptoms. This composition follows transparent medical naming patterns that are similar across many languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can reasonably infer the overall meaning.
Etymology
The medical name severe acute respiratory syndrome was chosen to describe the illness: severe means 'very serious', acute means 'sudden', respiratory means 'related to breathing', and syndrome means 'a group of symptoms'. So the name tells you it is a sudden, serious disease that affects breathing.