SUBVARIANT Definition & Meaning

subvariant

[ suhb-vair-ee-uhnt ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Microbiology, Pathology. a genetically distinct form of a virus, bacteria, or other microorganism, which arises when a variant of the original strain mutates.
in a classification or hierarchy, a distinct, often more specialized type of something that is itself one of a subset of a broader or higher category; subtype:
Each fighter plane in the A-series was eventually issued in the subvariants of fighter-bomber and bomber-destroyer.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of subvariant¹

First recorded in 1900–05; sub- ( def ) + variant ( def )

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

A new coronavirus subvariant is gaining steam and drawing more attention as a potential threat heading into late autumn and winter — a development that threatens to reverse recent promising transmission trends and is prompting doctors to renew their calls for residents to get an updated vaccine.

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A subvariant needs to make up an estimated 1% or more of coronavirus cases nationwide to qualify.

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That subvariant, which has the deFLuQE mutations, was estimated to make up 42.2% of coronavirus samples nationwide for the two-week period ending Saturday, up from 19.8% a month ago, according to the CDC.

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Doctors and scientists are keeping an eye on yet another coronavirus subvariant — XEC — that could surpass the latest hyperinfectious strain.

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But Novavax’s vaccine for the 2024-25 season was designed against an older subvariant, JN.1, whereas Moderna and Pfizer were designed against KP.2, a more recent subvariant that is more closely related to KP.3.1.1.

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